Remember Me
by robertwnielsen
Summary: Caitlin has lost her memory due to an injury she suffered on a mission. Can Hawke and Dom bring her back to herself?
1. Chapter 1

_Remember Me, Chap. 1_

_Disclaimer—_Don't own them...just having another play date.

_Summary—_Caitlin has lost her memory due to an injury she suffered on a mission. Can Hawke and Dom bring her back to herself?

A/N—This is an idea that branched off from a suggestion from Starclipper01, and will have two chapters...this one, and a second where Hawke suffers an injury and amnesia. Italics will be used to indicate memories trying to break through. Also, bringing in Eagle, String and Caitlin's dog from _Saying Goodbye._ Enjoy, and please don't forget to review—robertwnielsen

"Wh-where am I? Who are you guys?" Caitlin Hawke demanded as she regained consciousness in the hospital, and found two men staring at her. One of the men, the younger of the two, Caitlin noticed, possessed the most piercingly hypnotic blue eyes Caitlin could ever recall seeing. _I better quit staring at him,_ Caitlin said to herself, _or, I'm gonna get __**lost**__ in those eyes._ She couldn't help thinking that the prospect of being lost in the strange eyes in front of her was somehow strangely attractive...even inviting...but she forced herself to snap out of her daze when the man began speaking to her.

"Cait...it's me," Stringfellow Hawke replied as he moved closer to the bed. "It's me, String."

"_String? _What kind of name is that?" Cait asked him, and the look on her face gave both men cause for concern.

"Cait...do you remember anything...before you got hurt?"

"H mm...lemme think for a minute," Caitlin said hesitantly, as her brow scrunched. "I...I remember a fight...musta been a bar fight of some kind...then, I woke up here, and found you two guys staring at me."

"Well, it was a fight," String replied, remembering the firefight that had broken out during their last Airwolf mission, during which Caitlin had hit her head as she jumped to move String out of the way of a terrorist who was lining up a shot at him. "But...not the way you're talking."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Caitlin demanded.

"Um...I'll explain later," Hawke replied. "Do you remember Dom?" He gestured to the older man.

"I'm...I'm sorry, but I don't," Cait replied, as a nurse came into the room.

"Okay, Mrs. Hawke," the nurse began, but Caitlin interrupted her, a confused expression breaking out onto her face.

"_WHO?" _she demanded.

"Mrs. Hawke," the nurse repeated. "I was just about to go over your..."

"Excuse me, nurse, but my name is Caitlin O'Shannessy...I'm an officer with the Texas Highway Patrol," Caitlin said, startling both String and Dominic.

"Nurse," Hawke said, "may we speak with you outside?" The nurse nodded, and after pressing the call button for a doctor, she followed Dom and Hawke out of Caitlin's room.

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Dom demanded.

"Well," the nurse replied, looking at her chart, "I was about to tell Mrs. Hawke that her test results all seemed good, and she should be able to go home later today...but based on what I just saw, I'm afraid I'm going to have to amend that statement—I mean, I assume the doctor will say she can still go home, but it appears Caitlin is suffering from amnesia. That's not uncommon in concussion victims like her."

"Amnesia?" Hawke replied, heartsick. "How—how long will it last? And, is there anything I can do?"

"As to how long, that's never an easy answer," the nurse replied. "Sometimes it only lasts a few hours...sometimes days...sometimes even longer. There's plenty you can do, though, Mr. Hawke—most important, show her things that remind her of her life...the life she's forgotten. Be patient...understand that she doesn't remember you, or your life together...and above all, show her how much you love her," the nurse said. Hawke grimly nodded, and thanked the nurse before they went back into Caitlin's room.

When they walked back into Caitlin's room, String and Dom were surprised to find a doctor there examining her.

"All right, Mrs. Hawke"—the doctor began, but was interrupted.

"You're the second person who's called me that, confound it," Caitlin snapped. "I told these guys, and that nurse, my name is Caitlin _O'Shannessy._ I'm a helicopter pilot and an officer with the Texas Highway Patrol."

"Cait," Dom said hesitantly, "you're...you're not in Texas anymore, sweetheart. You're in California. You moved out here several years ago, looking for String."

"Now why would I go and do a gosh-darned fool thing like that?" Caitlin demanded, and Hawke had to stifle a smile. _I swear...she sounded just like her mother used to sound, before we got together, _Hawke said to himself.

"Because," Hawke said aloud, "you had come to tell me about my friend Jimmy being killed...after we came down and helped you with Sheriff Bogan."

"Wait a sec," Caitlin interjected. "You're tellin' me that I don't live in Texas anymore...that I live in California...okay, I suppose I can believe that...but why does everybody keep callin' me 'Mrs. Hawke,' for cryin' out loud?"

"Because," Hawke said hesitantly, then lifted her left hand to show her the wedding ring she wore, "we've been married for the past ten years." Hawke turned his own left hand over to show Caitlin the matching band.

"_Married?_" Caitlin demanded. "That's...that's impossible. Especially to a guy with a name like Stringfellow Hawke."

Both Dom and String were taken aback at the forcefulness of her statements. _But it's not...her,_ Hawke reasoned. _At least, not the Cait I know...and love. I've got to bring her back,_ Hawke determined.

"Well...Miss O'Shannessy," the doctor continued, being careful to use her maiden name, since that appeared to be how she wanted to be addressed, "Other than the fact that you can't remember any of your friends...especially your husband, I see no reason why you can't leave the hospital today...Mr. Hawke, I assume you'll be taking care of her?"

"Yes, Doctor," Hawke replied. "No matter what she says, I _am _her husband, so I'll take her home and take care of her there."

"Home?" Caitlin asked. "You're gonna take me back to Texas?"

"No, Cait," Hawke replied. "I'm going to take you _home_...to the cabin." He helped her get dressed, then signed her out, and the three of them walked to the brightly painted Santini Air jeep.

"Ready?" Hawke asked as he helped her in. Dom had told String he'd handle the driving, so the two of them could talk.

"I guess so," Caitlin replied, hesitantly. As they drove off, Caitlin said, "So, lemme see if I've got this straight. You...I mean...we live in a _cabin_? And...I'm...your wife?" _Not that I dislike the idea,_ Caitlin said to herself. _He is awful good-looking...especially those eyes. I swear, I'm gonna get lost in those eyes if I'm not careful. _Suddenly, Caitlin began hearing voices in her mind, and saw herself seated on a couch, as the man named Hawke came over to her.

_Caitlin O'Shannessy...will you make me the happiest man on Earth...and marry me? The man who had introduced himself as Hawke was saying. She was sitting on what she figured was a couch, and there were other people around her—her mother and older sister Erin, the older man who was driving the Jeep, and another man, who the man called Hawke had introduced as his brother Saint John._

_Yes! Oh, my God, yes, of course I'll marry you! Caitlin shouted as String slipped the diamond engagement ring onto the third finger of her left hand, just before she stood up and kissed him with everything she had._

_What the heck? Caitlin asked herself. _She pulled herself back into the present when she heard the man named Hawke speaking again.

"Yeah," Hawke replied. "We got married ten years ago...and we have a son, Jimmy...we named him after my friend, since his death was the reason you came back into our lives after Dom and I left Texas that first time...and we were thinking about another baby," Hawke continued.

"Even if I bought all that, which I don't, by the way...I'm not gonna just let you take me to some cabin way off in the middle of nowhere...that's...that's kidnapping, I'll have you know!"

"Cait," Hawke said, stroking the back of her hand to try to help her relax, "trust me. You...you used to say you trusted me and Dom with your life—so, will you trust me, now?"

_Mom and Daddy always told me never to trust a stranger,_ Caitlin thought to herself, then added, _at least, I **think **they always told me that...but...somethin' tells me...that what he's sayin' is true. Somethin' tells me...I can...no...I should trust him._ She smiled weakly at him and said, "All right...Hawke. I trust you."

_It's a beginning,_ Hawke said to himself, not quite believing that he'd have to reeducate Caitlin on the last ten years of her life. "All right," he replied as they pulled up to the hangar.

"So...you guys work _here_?" Caitlin demanded as they walked into the hangar.

"Well, not just us," Dom replied. "You work here, too, with String...and his big brother Saint John...and I've got a couple other people who help us out."

"Wait a sec," Caitlin interjected again. _"Saint John_?" She turned to Hawke. "And...he's your brother? Your family sure had some weird names for kids."

Hawke smiled at that. _That sounds more like my Cait,_ he said to himself. "You're not the first to tell me that," he said, remembering how several people had commented on his parents' penchant for strange names for their children. "But, yeah...in fact, here he comes," String said as he saw his older brother walking towards the group.

"String!" Saint John shouted as he walked up. "Everything okay? Cait...how are you feeling?" String and Dom had informed Saint John of Caitlin's injury after the mission was completed, and informed him that they were on the way to the hospital.

"Okay, I guess...Saint John," Caitlin replied, "except that I've got a splitting headache...and...I can't remember a danged thing. Including all of you."

"Well, then," Saint John said as he smiled at her, "we'll just have to show you." He smiled at String reassuringly. "You guys gonna go back to the cabin?"

"Yeah, Sinj," Hawke replied. "I'm...I'm gonna show her some things up there...see if they bring back any memories for her."

"Well," Saint John replied, "you know Le and I are here to help, if you need us...we're just a radio call away." He squeezed String's shoulder reassuringly. "Oh...and Jimmy can stay with us until...things get resolved," Saint John added. String remembered how Saint John had picked up their son just before he and Caitlin left with Dom to get Airwolf. Hawke wondered if having their son there might help Cait, but decided against it. "Thanks, Sinj," String replied.

"Me, too, String," Dom replied. "I wouldn't let you go through this alone. Anything you need, just let me know."

"I know, Sinj...and Dom," String replied, then added, "and thanks." He helped Caitlin strap into the passenger seat of the helicopter, then he strapped into the pilot's seat, started the engine, and after receiving clearance from the tower, lifted the patriotically-painted helicopter into the sky. As they flew, Caitlin thought she heard...voices in her head again, starting with her own voice.

_You just blew up the county jail, the sheriff, and half the cowboys in town! Caitlin said to the strange black and white helicopter._

_See you 'round, kid, a voice came from inside the helicopter—a voice Caitlin thought she recognized. Then, the helicopter flew away, faster than anything Caitlin had ever seen before._

_God in heaven! Caitlin said out loud as the helicopter flew away._

_What the heck?_ Caitlin said to herself. _Why did I think that voice sounded familiar? And what kind of helicopter was that? _Suddenly, another vision rushed into her head.

_I knew it! I told you I knew it! Caitlin said._

_Knew what? __Hawke__ demanded._

_Oh, come on, String, quit teasin'...can I take this blindfold off now?_ Caitlin was puzzled at the voices she'd heard in her head a moment ago—they sounded like Hawke's voice...or the man who called himself Hawke...and _her_ voice...but she couldn't understand why she had asked to take a blindfold off. _Maybe he was takin' me to a party or somethin', _Caitlin said to herself. _But...what was I sayin' I knew, for Pete's sake?_

"So you really live out in the middle of nowhere?" Caitlin asked. "And...and I live there, too?"

"Yeah," Hawke replied. "The cabin used to belong to my family...but my mom and dad were killed when a drunk plowed a boat into the boat we were all riding in...and my parents died. Dom raised Saint John and me after that...and I decided I wanted to live at the cabin...until Saint John and I went to Vietnam."

"What?" Caitlin asked. "You were in Vietnam?" _Now I know where I heard that voice before...it was...Hawke? What the heck was he doin' flyin' a weird-looking helicopter like that? __Did he really blow up the county jail, Bogan, and half the cowboys in Pope County? _She pulled herself back into the present when she heard Hawke continuing his story.

"Yeah...Saint John and I were both in the 1st Air Cav...went down on the same mission, actually...but he didn't get picked up, and everybody thought he was dead...except me. I kept looking, and finally we found him, a few months before you and I got married."

"So...then, I love you, right?" Caitlin asked.

"I sure hope so," Hawke answered her, smiling in spite of the situation. "Because I most definitely love you." Caitlin smiled and nodded at him, even as the voices sounded in her head again.

_Mayday! Mayday! Hawke, he's here! It's a Corsair...I'm at angels 6, and he's pursuing!_

_I gotcha, I hear you Caitlin...head for the deck and take evasive action!_

"Cait? You okay?" Hawke asked, concerned.

"Yeah...I'm fine," Caitlin replied, "just...hearing things, I guess." She forced a weak smile at Hawke, then turned back towards the window.

A few minutes later, Hawke brought the helicopter down onto the dock at the cabin, and shut down the engine. Once they were unstrapped, Hawke helped Caitlin out of the helicopter and they walked towards the cabin, but Caitlin was stunned by the scenery.

"Wow!" Caitlin exclaimed as she took in the view. "This...this is incredible! I sure wish I could remember livin' here," she said, sighing.

_So do I,_ Hawke said to himself worriedly. "You will, Cait," he said aloud. "I promise you, you will."

"I...I believe you, Hawke," Caitlin replied.

"Cait...Hawke is my last name...my family name. My first name is String," he reminded her. "But if it makes you more comfortable, you can still call me Hawke...you used to call me that all the time when we first met."

"Okay, Hawke," Caitlin replied. "You said we met when you were down in Texas...what were you doing there, for Pete's sake?"

"Well," Hawke began, hesitantly, "we had gone down there on some...business." _I sure don't want to tell her what kind of business,_ Hawke said to himself, remembering that they'd been in Texas on FIRM business when things had erupted with Bogan. "But I had been arrested, and that was the first time I saw you...your hair was shorter then, though. Do you remember that?"

"Kinda," Caitlin said. "I remember having to have short hair on the force...Bogan always insisted on that. Was he doin' something wrong?"

"Sort of," Hawke replied as he fixed dinner for the two of them. They ate in silence, Hawke figuring he'd try to let Caitlin absorb some of what had happened. He was relieved, yet disappointed that Jimmy was visiting Le and Saint John, though—_If he were here, maybe that would help,_ Hawke thought to himself.

When they finished with dinner, Hawke cleaned the dishes and then joined Caitlin on the couch, just as his dog Eagle walked into the cabin and placed his head in Caitlin's lap.

"Hello, boy," Caitlin said as she scratched the dog behind the ears. "He seems to know me," she said as she turned to Hawke.

"Well, he should," Hawke said. "You're the one who picked him out after Tet died."

"Tet?" Caitlin asked.

"Tet was my first dog...he died a few years ago, and you bought Eagle for me as a Christmas present." He smiled as he remembered seeing Eagle the first time.

"Well, he sure seems like a nice dog," Caitlin said as she noticed Hawke getting up from the couch and pulling something from the shelf.

"What's this, Hawke?" Caitlin asked as Hawke returned with a large album.

"Some pictures," Hawke replied, opening the album and pausing on the first picture. "Here we are on the dock...on our wedding day. There's Dom...and Michael, and Marella."

"Michael? Marella? Who are they?" Caitlin asked.

"They're...friends of my family," Hawke said hesitantly, not wanting to reveal the _real_ relationship they had with Michael and Marella.

Just like that, another vision snapped into Caitlin's mind.

_Michael, what's wrong? Caitlin asked from her seat in the Electronic Data Command Center, aboard Airwolf._

_Maria's dead, Hawke said from the countermeasure specialist's chair._

_She was working with Krueger all along, Michael said, and Caitlin detected the sadness in his voice._

_I'm sorry, Caitlin said, hoping Michael believed her. He nodded at Caitlin, then turned back to Hawke. "It couldn't be helped. I **do **know that, Hawke." _Caitlin suddenly snapped herself back to the present when Hawke said, "Cait? You okay? Where were you just now?"

"Sorry, Hawke...just thinkin'...those two, Michael and Marella...their names sound...familiar," Caitlin said. "Like I heard 'em somewhere before...but I just can't remember where...that's all."

"Really?" Hawke asked.

"Sorta," Caitlin replied. "Hawke...before this happened...were we...happy together?"

"I like to think so, Cait," Hawke replied. Caitlin smiled and nodded at him before she spoke again.

"So...I met you in Texas, you said...did we get married right away?"

"No," Hawke said, suppressing a chuckle. "It took you almost three years to get me to accept that you loved me...and you were pretty vocal about it sometimes, too. Kept saying how frustrated you were that I couldn't accept how you felt...and that you were gonna go back to Texas...and you used to argue with your mom quite a bit about it, too. But once I finally accepted it, we fell in love, and got married about ten years ago, like I said before."

"Why'd it take you so long to accept how I felt? If that's how I felt?" Caitlin asked.

"Cait...for the longest time, I felt like I had a curse on me—that everyone I loved, or _might love,_ would die. And events were bearing that out more than they were disproving it—first, there was the accident where my parents got killed...then my high school girlfriend Kelly and I were in a car accident...but she didn't make it. Then, when Saint John and I were in 'Nam, we went down on the same mission—except he didn't get picked up, and was missing for over sixteen years, until he came home just before we got married."

"Well, having your brother back must make you feel a little better about this curse you told me about," Caitlin said.

"Yeah, Cait...it does," Hawke admitted. _But what happened to you just makes it worse...you're here, physically...but in every other way...you're not here,_ Hawke said to himself. He pulled himself into the present, though, when Caitlin looked up at him.

"Listen, Hawke...what are we gonna do about...?"

"Don't worry about it, Cait," Hawke replied. "You can have the main bedroom...I'll take the guest room...okay?"

"Okay, Hawke," Caitlin said. "But—if we're married, shouldn't we—?"

"Cait," Hawke said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "it wouldn't be right for us to share a bed when you don't remember that we're in love...and that we're married. I'll be just down the hall if you need me...okay?"

"Okay, Hawke," Caitlin replied as the two of them walked upstairs and Hawke helped Caitlin pick out a nightgown. "Good night, Cait," Hawke said as he turned to walk out.

"Good night, Hawke," Caitlin replied. "And...thanks."

"Anytime," Hawke replied as he left the room and walked to the guest room.

As Caitlin lay alone in her bed, she felt her emotions being spun in a thousand different directions.

_He sure acts like he cares about me,_ Caitlin said to herself. _I...I wish I could remember him. _Suddenly, she saw herself outside of the cabin, and heard her voice in her head again.

_I'm through, Hawke. I'm through with people, with life, with work, with everything. That's it! I'm gonna get on a plane and just keep on going until the money runs out...then I'm gonna walk. I'm never gonna stop long enough to get involved with anybody! She stifled a smile as Hawke played a mock funeral dirge on his cello, then a more upbeat little tune._

_You came to my rescue again, didn't you? she asked._

_You know, we really like having you around...but it wasn't us, Hawke replied._

_Now wait a minute! You wait just a minute! Do you mean to tell me that I just imagined—well, that I didn't see—that there's no big, black helicopter? Now can you do that? Caitlin demanded._

_I think she's feelin' better, Hawke said as Dominic chuckled, and Hawke launched into the opening bars of "The 1812 Overture" on his cello._

_What the heck was that? _Caitlin asked herself. _What big black helicopter? And when did Hawke __come to my rescue? I wish...I wish I could remember..._Caitlin said to herself as she fell into an uneasy and restless sleep.

Meanwhile, Hawke had found a picture of him and Caitlin there in the guest room, and was staring at it. _Come on back, Cait,_ Hawke said to himself. _I...I miss you...and I need you. Come back to me,_ he said to himself as he climbed into the guest room bed and fell into an uneasy sleep. The last thing Hawke remembered before he fell asleep was their wedding day, when they'd both promised to be there for each other, no matter what. _And I will be, _Hawke said to himself. _I said I'd always be there for Cait...and I will. No matter what._

Meanwhile, Caitlin was having her own issues as she fell deeper into sleep. She was recalling...at least, she _thought_ she was recalling, a discussion she'd had with Hawke.

_Hawke__? I didn't wanna bring this up before, but...what did you end up tellin' those investigators? Caitlin asked._

_I just said that Detective Sergeant Brannen was out there with...Langhorne under surveillance. And I let it go at that, Hawke answered her._

_You're a good guy, Stringfellow Hawke, Caitlin said, smiling at him._

_Well, don't let that get around, huh? Hawke asked, smiling back at her._

_Caitlin simply shook her head at Hawke and smiled at him, as Hawke smiled back at her._

Then something else occurred to her_._

_Mayday, Mayday! Caitlin called frantically over the radio. Hawke, he's here! It's a Corsair...I'm at Angels 6, and he's pursuing!_

_I gotcha, I hear you, Caitlin! Hawke's reassuring voice came back. Head for the deck, and take evasive action...we're right behind you! Okay, now we're getting somewhere, _Caitlin said to herself. _Now maybe I can figure out what the heck that thing was that I saw before. _She tried to relax as the voices continued.

"_I'll see ya, __Cait_._..that's a good show, fellas." __A voice Caitlin thought she recognized__ said as __the__ Corsair __that had been firing on her plane __plunged to the deck._

"_Robert?" Caitlin asked over the radio, and everyone, including Hawke, could hear the tears in her voice. Carter Anderson III and his assistant, Rosalind, both reacted as Caitlin began crying. _

_What the heck? Caitlin asked herself. I've been here before? And who's Robert? And what about that big black helicopter? Caitlin asked herself, as more thoughts came into her mind. _

_So...where do you keep it? Caitlin asked._

_Keep what? Hawke replied._

_Oh, you know...that black battleship with the rotors, Caitlin answered him. Hawke tried to keep his expression neutral as he said, "I don't know what you're talking about."_

_Wait a sec..._Caitlin said to herself, growing more excited. _I...I think I'm startin' to remember. What was it...? _She tried to quiet her mind as more images and voices came into it.

_Oh, wow! Oh, boy! Caitlin said out loud as she stared at the myriad of levers, knobs, buttons, and switches in front of her. String, I knew it. I TOLD YOU I knew it!_

_Fine, String said, and you're gonna FORGET IT as soon as this mission's over, right? Hawke demanded._

_Right. Caitlin replied sheepishly. _

_All right. Lesson number one. There's a target selection screen right next to the main panel._

_Got it! Caitlin said, swiveling her chair to see the screen._

_The program keys above are used to call up any weapons required, Hawke said. We have access to all 14 weapons systems, so long as we're not at Mach 1. Now, say for instance, I call for a Hellfire..._

_Caitlin found the appropriate button and pressed it. "Okay. Hellfire." She suddenly heard what sounded like an alarm screaming._

_Caitlin! Deploy the pods! Hawke shouted._

_Where? Where is it? Caitlin asked, panicked._

_Release the missile chamber! Top button above the fire...Hawke began, but Caitlin interrupted him._

_Oh...got it, got it! Caitlin shouted, pressing the appropriate buttons. As the missile launched and then exploded, Caitlin felt a surge of fear as she shouted, "Ooh!"_ Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she felt a rush of fear...and she could think of only one way to calm herself. _I need to know he's okay,_ she said to herself.

"_Hawke__!"_ Caitlin shouted, loud enough to wake him up.

"Cait?" Hawke asked as he came running into the room. "You okay?"

"I...I think so," Caitlin replied. "But...I've got a question—do you fly a huge black and white helicopter? One that looks like...a black battleship with rotors...not to mention somethin' you might find in Darth Vader's bedroom?" Hawke reacted with surprise at Caitlin's question, and her use of the phrase "black battleship with rotors." _That's what she used to call Airwolf all the time,_ Hawke said to himself. _But...I can't lie to her, _he said to himself, even as he recalled Caitlin saying _"you stick me in a machine that looks like somethin' out of Darth Vader's bedroom!' _the first time she flew in Airwolf.

"Yeah, Cait," Hawke replied. "I...that is..._we_ fly that helicopter...and Michael and Marella...they're not friends of my family. They work for the agency that built the helicopter...it's called the FIRM...and we fly missions for them whenever they need us to."

"You mean, we all fly that thing?" Caitlin asked. "Even..._me?_"

"Yeah," Hawke replied, walking over and sitting on the side of the bed opposite her, glad he'd thrown a pair of sweat pants on before he left the guest room. "We call the helicopter Airwolf...and Dom and I taught you how to fly her after Michael...we call him Archangel...was captured by the Russians. Dom and I had been hurt in a movie stunt, and we needed your help to go into East Germany and rescue Archangel," Hawke finished, studying Caitlin's face to see if his information had triggered any memories in her.

"Did I...did I do somethin' wrong when you taught me how to fly this helicopter?" Caitlin asked.

Smiling, Hawke replied, "Yeah...you could say that." He proceeded to tell her how he had said, "Now, say for instance, I call for a Hellfire..." and how she had pressed the button to arm the missile without first deploying the ADF pods. Caitlin also asked Hawke about the blindfold, and he replied that he'd blindfolded her before he took her to the Lair, the place where they kept Airwolf.

"Why'd you do that?" Caitlin asked Hawke.

"I...I wasn't sure if I could trust you, Cait," Hawke said, embarrassed. "And, I wanted the place where I kept Airwolf to remain secret, so that Michael couldn't find her and try to take her back. That's also why I waited after you asked me about the blindfold—I wanted to make sure we were out of the area of the Lair—that's where we keep Airwolf—before I let you take it off. I did the same thing with Dom the first few times we went out to the Lair, so, it wasn't anything personal. Did you remember something about that?" Hawke wondered if he should have mentioned the Lair like he did, _but, _he said to himself, _I did it, so I can't very well take it back now. And besides, she doesn't remember it._

"Yeah," Caitlin said. "I remembered buggin' you to let me take the blindfold off, and when I did, I saw more switches, knobs, levers, and buttons than I think I'd ever seen in one place in my life. So you said I armed a missile by accident...and that was a problem?" Caitlin asked him.

"Yeah. If we hadn't gotten the missile launched, it could have blown us both to smithereens," Hawke said in conclusion. "Did you remember that?"

"Yeah. Well, I mean...sorta," Caitlin said sheepishly. "I've...I've been hearing voices ever since I left the hospital—yours, mine, other people...and I think they're connected to the memories you say I'm tryin' to find...like they're tryin' to tell me something."

"They are, Cait," Hawke replied, daring to hope that this nightmare might end soon. "They are...now...are you okay to go back to sleep?" Hawke asked.

"Yeah, I guess so," Caitlin replied, but just before he left the room, she spoke again. "Hawke? Did...did I know some guy named Robert? And...did I see him die?"

"Yeah, Cait," Hawke replied, telling her the story of how she'd fallen in love with Robert Villers, only to find out he was only using her because he'd found out she was going to be flying Carter Anderson III to a meeting, and someone had hired Villers to prevent Anderson from attending that meeting. When Hawke told her how he had shot Villers down after he attacked Caitlin's plane, she seemed to understand. "And that's why I seemed sad when he...when he died?" Caitlin asked.

"Yeah," Hawke admitted. "I hated to have to do what I did...but it was either we took him out, or he would have blown you and Carter Anderson III to kingdom come." _Not to mention us, since Airwolf's #2 engine was giving us trouble,_ Hawke said to himself.

"Hawke...I wasn't hurt in some kinda bar fight, was I?" Caitlin asked. "It was on a..."

"A mission, Cait. We were in a firefight with some terrorists, and you saw one lining up to take a shot at me. You jumped to push me out of the way, and hit your head on a concrete pillar...that's how you got the concussion, and how you lost your memory," Hawke said as he got up from the bed to go back to his room.

"Wow, that's a lot to take in," Caitlin said as Hawke stood up. "And Hawke...thanks again. For everything."

"Any time, Cait," Hawke replied, smiling at her before he turned out the light and left to go back to the guest room. "You'd do the same for me."

As she watched him go, Caitlin thought to herself, _R__ats. __I shoulda said somethin' before he walked out...but...__I—I wanted him to stay with me. He—he didn't have to go back to the other room...it's not like we haven't shared this bed for...wait a minute! _She thought about yelling for Hawke again, but decided to wait, as more memories came rushing in.

_Are you a doctor? Caitlin asked the strange woman in white._

_Yes. If you don't mind, I'd like to examine these two, the strange woman replied, curtly._

_Ooh, sure, Caitlin said, standing up to leave._

_No, no, you don't have to go anywhere—Dom started to say, but Cait interrupted him._

_Dom, it's okay. I'll wait outside, Cait said, and quickly walked out of the hospital room._

_That was...after the flying stunt went so wrong, _Caitlin said to herself, startled that she remembered so much detail. _I wonder..._she tried to relax, and soon another vision came into her mind—a vision of a room filled with gunfire, as she and String attempted to fight their way out.

_String, LOOK OUT! Caitlin shouted, jumping towards him and shoving him out of the way, then falling unconscious, after hitting her head on a stone pillar._

_That's IT!_ Caitlin rejoiced as she remembered the injury she suffered when she jumped to save String's life. _He was about to get shot by a terrorist...and I jumped at him to shove him outta the way...that's when I lost my memory! _Caitlin knew she had to relax, and try to sleep, but she felt the memories rushing in too fast.

_You could wear this around your neck! Caitlin said, holding the offending bolt towards Hawke. He'd been working on Dom's old Stearman, and hadn't noticed her until she spoke up, but when he heard her voice, he reacted._

"_Caitlin! Deputy Caitlin!" Hawke said as he broke into an uncharacteristic smile._

_I know that, Caitlin replied. _She gasped as she recalled the scene outside the hangar at Santini Air. _That was...that was when I came back to California, lookin' for String...and I was so thrilled at String's smile...since he barely smiled at me the whole time he was in Texas dealin' with Bogan...that I didn't even have the heart to correct him, tell him that I wasn't a 'Deputy.' But when he smiled at me like that, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. _She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, then relaxed as another memory came into her mind.

_I dunno about you guys, but I'm HUNGRY, Dom said. Whataya say we stop off for some beer and bratwurst, huh? _

_WHERE? Hawke asked, incredulous._

_Well, I dunno. Anyplace that's got beer & bratwurst, I suppose! Dom retorted._

_Yeah, we can discuss our next mission, Caitlin replied from Dom's normal position in the EDCC._

_What mission? Michael demanded from his seat._

_OH, you know, Caitlin said. Whatever you assign them to do next in this helicopter!_

_WHAT HELICOPTER? Hawke, Michael, and Dom demanded at the same time._

_That was...after Michael got captured...that was the first time I ever flew a mission in Airwolf, _Caitlin said to herself. _I think—I think it's comin' back to me. _Sure enough, more memories flooded in.

_Collective...COLLECTIVE! You're over-torquing...you're over-torquing! Pull in some collective! Dom said. As Airwolf shot into the sky over the Valley of the Gods, Dom corrected himself. Not THAT much!_

_Okay, Caitlin said nervously from the pilot's seat, then added, Not bad, huh? She stopped when she saw Dom roll his eyes at her from the co-pilot's chair._

_Well, okay, so I'm learning! Caitlin shot back. You know, you've gotta admit, this isn't your ordinary-powered puddle-jumper!_

_Nah...you're doin' fine, Dom said._

_Really? Caitlin asked._

_REALLY! Dom said firmly._

_Great! Then when can I fly Airwolf—she stopped as Dom interrupted._

_NO! Dom said, more firmly than before._

_That...that was when Dom taught me how to actually fly her, Caitlin thought to herself excitedly, realizing the memories were coming faster. _She tried to relax, to see what other memories would come, and they continued coming, faster than before. _But there was somethin' else...from the first time I flew in her...before we went to rescue Michael..._and just like that, Caitlin could see herself and Hawke back in Airwolf again.

_You could've **killed **us! Hawke shouted angrily as he evaded the missile._

_I'm **sorry!** Caitlin shouted back, more frightened than angry. _

_'Sorry' doesn't cut it—this is no Highway Patrol chopper! I don't want you touching **anything** until I've thoroughly explained it! Hawke shouted._

_Right, Caitlin replied meekly._

_The point is, Caitlin, Hawke said, trying to calm his voice down, it's gonna take me a week to familiarize you with these controls._

_Does that mean we're not going? Caitlin asked._

_Nah, String replied, less angrily than before. It just means I'm gonna have to find some way to put Dom's brain in your body!_

_Just...don't do it the other way around! Caitlin said, fearfully. She heard Hawke chuckle slightly just before she felt a powerful kick in the rear end, as the helicopter suddenly picked up speed. _

_That's right! Caitlin said to herself happily, realizing that she was remembering the events that led up to Michael's rescue. _She thought about calling for Hawke again, but decided against it. _I...I think I'll see what else I can remember, she said to herself, even as another memory came rushing into her head._

_HAWKE! I THOUGHT IT'D HELP YOU! NO! NO! Caitlin fell onto Hawke's chest, sobbing, as she realized Hawke was dead—at least, I **thought** he was dead—_Caitlin said to herself as she remembered the aftermath of injecting String with the antidote Michael gave her. She stifled another chuckle as she remembered something else—_the way I was layin' on top of String—if I hadn't noticed he was movin' a few minutes later, who knows what he woulda thought? _She smiled to herself as she remembered laying on top of Hawke, sobbing, one ear pressed directly over his heart, hoping and praying she'd hear something that would prove to her that String was alive—and then, her shock at realizing String _was _alive, and regaining consciousness—and how quickly she'd clambered off him, before he saw her on top of him that way. _Now, of course, I doubt he'd mind at all if he opened his eyes and found me layin' on top of him like that,_ Caitlin thought to herself, grinning impishly, even as another memory rushed into her head.

_Mom...Mom...you're right! Look...if I had a family, and a husband, and children, I wouldn't have been on that plane! Look, Mom...I'll call you later! _Caitlin remembered sitting on a bench in the hangar, first with a sledgehammer in her hand, then after Dom took that away from her, she picked up a wrench and fidgeted with it as she argued with her mother.

_That was after the hijacking...when I was flyin' back to Texas for Erin's wedding,_ Caitlin said to herself. _Then, after I hung up, I remember Dom saying, 'you know, maybe your mommy's right. You should be lookin' out for your future. And there's a lot of guys out there.' _

_And I said, 'Oh, yeah? WHERE?' And Dom just pointed at String and said, 'Well? Huh?' And then he started laughing...and I was so scared, and embarrassed...but String just looked at me, and smiled...and that just made me love him all the more. I mean...I didn't know if String was gonna laugh in my face, or yell at me...but he just smiled at me, as if he knew why I was so unnerved. I...I can't believe it—it's all comin' back to me. _Then, she was sitting in Archangel's limousine, arguing with Dom.

_Not 'we,' ME! The instructions say, 'ME!' Dom shouted, after talking over __Hawke's__ kidnapping with Michael and Caitlin, who announced, "We gotta get the Lady!"_

_Dom, don't do that to me, Caitlin replied, and it seemed to Dom that she was near tears. I care about him, too, you know...probably more than you know._ Hearing her own voice saying that, Caitlin's eyes snapped open. _That was after Horn kidnapped Hawke...I told Dom that I cared about Hawke. And I...I do care about Hawke...I mean—String. I love him, for Pete's sake! And I decided a long time ago that I'd only call him 'Hawke' if I was really...REALLY...ticked off at him. I can't believe it...I...I remember! That scene I saw before...that was the night String asked me to marry him...and the night we first...made love, _Caitlin thought to herself, closing her eyes again and smiling as she recalled the events of that night.

_Some reason you wanted to stay here tonight, Cait? Hawke asked as they watched Dom's helicopter fly away._

_And I remember...I remember how I moved closer to him, pressed my body up against his, and told him, String, don't ask stupid questions. Then I kissed him...and I was hopin' he'd get the message, but dang him...he pulled us apart and said, Cait...if this isn't what you want, you tell me. You tell me, **right now.**_

_And I remember how frustrated I was...but I didn't let him know it. But after I thought about it for a second, I knew why he was hesitating like that—I remember how I told him about what Bogan's boys tried to do to me...and String didn't want to bring back any bad memories from those times—which just made me love him—and **want him—**that much more. Finally, I just said, String...shut up, take me upstairs, and make love to me. Now. **Right now.** And I have to give credit where credit's due,_ Caitlin said to herself, stifling a chuckle, _but he did exactly what I told him to. And,_ Caitlin said to herself, sighing as the memory came back to her, _when I asked him about it later, he told me why he hesitated._

_String, why were you hesitatin' so much the other night? Caitlin asked him._

_Well, Cait, I remembered what you said about what Bogan's boys tried to do to you—I just didn't want to bring back any bad memories from that time, String told her._

_String, Caitlin said, sliding her arms around his neck, What happened with Bogan's boys is the past—dead, and buried, along with Bogan and the rest of his crowd. Now, I'm makin' a whole new set of memories—with **you.** _Caitlin smiled again as she remembered String's response. _We made love the rest of the night,_ she said to herself with a contented sigh.

Suddenly, the scene in her mind changed again...to the dock, on what she now remembered as their wedding day.

_Do you, __Stringfellow__ Hawke, take Caitlin O'Shannessy to be your lawful wedded wife? Judge Clevenger asked._

_I do. Hawke replied._

_And do you, Caitlin O'Shannessy, take Stringfellow Hawke to be your lawful wedded husband?_

_With tears of love and happiness shining in her eyes, Caitlin proudly proclaimed, Yes. I do._

_Then by the power vested in me by the great State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife, Judge Clevenger said. After they shared their first kiss, Caitlin heard him announce, Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Stringfellow Hawke! The small group gathered on the dock burst into applause as they kissed again._

_I can't believe I forgot...our wedding day,_ Caitlin said to herself. _String would never let me hear the end of it if I told him...I mean...that was the happiest day of my life...at least, until Jimmy was born, _Caitlin said to herself as the scene in her mind shifted again_._

_Then, they were in a hospital room...and it seemed that Caitlin was in great pain. Suddenly, she screamed, Goddammit, Hawke! Don't you ever touch me again! You hear me?_

_That—__that was__ the day Jimmy was born, Caitlin thought excitedly. __It hurt __so much—and I __was so mad __at __String—__but it __was all worth it __when I saw him—our son—__with String's__ eyes and my red __hair—just __the __combination I wanted__. __I remember! __I remember everything! __Caitlin said to herself happily. _She knew sleep would not come easily the rest of the night, but she also knew she had to try._ 'Cause I'm gonna have a lot to tell __String __in the morning...__and I want to be awake to tell him__, _Caitlin said to herself as she closed her eyes. As she felt sleep claiming her, more memories rushed into Caitlin's mind.

_I remember...I remember watchin' String cut the umbilical cord...and how I didn't want that nurse to take Jimmy away from us...but String told me he'd be watching the whole time...and he did, too. And...I remember what I said to him, _Caitlin said to herself, smiling as the memories came back to her.

_Thank you, String, Caitlin whispered, breathless. Thank you for making me a mommy._

_Thank **you, **Caitlin, for making me a daddy, Hawke replied, smiling at her through his tears._

_That was only the second...no...the third time I ever saw String cry, _Caitlin said to herself. _The first was when he came out of the brainwashing in Horn's compound...when he thought he'd killed Dom...then the second was our wedding day. Then when Jimmy was born. And I didn't think either one of us would make it those eight weeks until we could be...intimate again...but we did. _Another memory rushed in, and Caitlin smiled as the scene played out in her mind.

_They were lying in their bed at the cabin, about eight weeks after Jimmy was born. "String?" Caitlin asked._

"_Yeah?" Hawke grumbled._

"_Do you remember what I said when Jimmy was born?" Caitlin asked him, knowing full well he did._

"_Of course, I remember, Cait," Hawke said. "You said I was never touching you again." Hawke grumbled, fully aware of how long the last eight weeks had seemed._

"_Well," Caitlin purred, gliding her fingertips across his chest, "what would you say if I told you I didn't mean it? And...that the doctor said it's okay if you do touch me again," she grinned impishly at him. Hawke suddenly remembered that Cait had been to the doctor that day._

_As he reached for her, Hawke said, "I was kinda hopin' you'd say that." He curled his upper lip into the boyish grin he knew she loved as he moved inside her._

The next morning, Hawke was up and working on breakfast when Caitlin came downstairs.

"'Morning, Cait," Hawke said as he turned to her. As Caitlin launched herself into his arms, Hawke noticed something—Caitlin was _smiling,_ something she hadn't been doing since before she got hurt.

Without saying a word, Caitlin launched herself into his arms, smothering his lips with hers in a passionate kiss that threatened to drown them both. _What on Earth? _Hawke asked himself as he tried to extricate himself from Caitlin's arms, but she tightened her arms around Hawke, drawing him closer to her body until she finally felt him relent and relax into her kiss. _I can't believe I forgot what this feels like,_ Caitlin said to herself as she felt String matching her passions with his own. _Bein' held by String is...the greatest feeling in the world!_

Finally, though, Hawke began to grow concerned. Once he'd caught his breath after he pulled them apart, he said, "Cait? Are you okay? What brought that on?"

"String, I'm hurt," Caitlin said. "Shouldn't a wife give her husband a good-morning kiss?"

"Well...yeah, I guess so," Hawke replied, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. "But...with you not remembering anything about us...or..." Then, something dawned on him. _She said 'String,' not 'Hawke,' like she has been._

"String," Caitlin interrupted him, "_I REMEMBER. ALL of it. _Us, Jimmy, Saint John, Dom...even Airwolf, Michael, and Marella." She looked up at Hawke with tears in her eyes. "Last night, String...after you went back to the guest room. It...it all came back to me."

_Okay, let me try something here,_ Hawke said to himself. "All right, let's see here. When Dom was kidnapped by Horn..." He stopped as Cait interrupted him.

"String, don't even try to _joke_ about somethin' like that—'cause it's _not funny_. _You _were the one kidnapped by Horn...and Dom and I came and rescued you. 'Course, Dom didn't want me comin' along, since you made that tape that said Dom had to deliver Airwolf, alone...I had to tell him, 'Dom, don't do that to me. I care about him, too, you know. Probably _more than you know.' _And I remember the look on Dom's face when I said that...he was probably thinkin' he knew that I loved you, or somethin' like that." String smiled when he heard those words. _And I remember Dom telling me about it after I got rescued, _String thought to himself, pulling himself back into the present when he heard Caitlin speaking again.

"Anyway, I was sitting hidden behind the pilot's seat, just before I crawled into the missile compartment, and I watched you shoot Dom—'course, I didn't know until I saw him later that the gun had been full of tranquilizers. Then I stole a uniform from one of Horn's guards and came to your room to find you." Caitlin's eyes filled with tears as she continued, "but you didn't recognize me because of the brainwashing that Horn did—and you—you attacked me. I fought back, and injected you with an experimental drug that Michael gave me...he told me—he told me not to use it unless I absolutely had to, because in about a third of the tests, the test subjects died. And—and I thought _you _had died, String...until you came around a few minutes later. I had—I had nightmares about it for weeks afterward, too," Caitlin said, moving closer to Hawke again. "And of course, I called dibs on Angelica, 'cause after I saw her walkin' out of your room, String, I thought—I thought that you two had slept together...and I gotta admit...I was jealous," Caitlin said, her cheeks turning a slight pink. Hawke nodded, recalling when they had discussed her suspicions. _And I assured her that nothing happened, _Hawke said to himself.

"And you remember all that? What else do you remember?" Hawke asked.

"Well...I remembered the accident...how I yelled at you because one of the terrorists we were in a gun battle with was lining up to take a shot at you...and I jumped to push you out of the line of fire...then I knocked myself out...I guess that's when I lost my memory." String smiled to himself as he realized that Caitlin had, indeed, recovered her memories, but let her continue.

"And, I remembered standin' in the front door with Dom, waiting for him to escort me down the aisle...the pier, actually, to you...on our wedding day. And, I remembered the night you asked me to marry you—we were all here...you and me, Dom, Erin, Mom, even Saint John and Le...you were standing over by the fireplace, and then you came over to the couch where I was sitting and popped the question...and...that was the night we first made love," Caitlin continued, smiling as the full memory of that night came back to her again. "And, I remembered the vows we took...that we'd always be here for each other...no matter what." Hawke smiled as he remembered the words they had exchanged.

"Oh, yeah...and I remembered giving birth to Jimmy...how I said you'd never touch me again...and how I conveniently forgot that I said that just a few weeks later, after the doctor told me it was okay." String smiled and nodded at his wife.

"It's all there, String," Caitlin repeated, tapping her forehead with her index finger, and smiling at him. "I'm—I'm myself again."

_Thank you, God,_ String said to himself. Aloud, he said, "Welcome back, Caitlin O'Shannessy."

Caitlin playfully elbowed him in the ribs. "My _name_ is Caitlin _Hawke__,_ smart guy," she teased, and String felt himself finally relaxing, especially when Caitlin smiled up at him, that 'million-dollar smile' that he was so in love with. "And don't you forget it."

"I won't," Hawke replied as he took her in his arms again. "I promise you, I won't."

"Good," Caitlin replied, moving closer in his arms and kissing him again.

"Just one thing, Cait," Hawke said when they separated again. "Why did you say you remembered everything about our wedding, and about Jimmy being born, _last?"_

"Well...those are my _best _memories, after all...and you know what they say about saving the _best _for _last,_" Caitlin said as she grinned up at Hawke. Then something dawned on her. _Uh-oh...even though I didn't say anything...he knows I forgot both our wedding day and Jimmy bein' born. Well...I guess __whatever he says, I'll just have to take it._

"Just checking," Hawke said as he smiled at her.

"How out of it was I, String?" Caitlin asked as they worked on the breakfast dishes, together. Caitlin had started doing the dishes, per the unwritten rule of the house, but String jumped in beside her and wouldn't take "no" for an answer. _No big deal, really, _Caitlin said to herself. _I'm always happiest __with __String __beside me...no matter what the circumstances._

"You were pretty far gone, Cait," Hawke replied. "You couldn't remember me, Jimmy, Dom, Michael, Sinj...any of us. And in the hospital, you kept calling yourself 'Caitlin O'Shannessy,' which meant you didn't remember that we were married. You also didn't remember Airwolf, which _really _had me worried."

"I guess I can understand," Caitlin said, "but I really can't believe I'd forget everyone...especially you and Jimmy...speaking of Jimmy, where is he?"

"Cait," Hawke began worriedly, "Jimmy's staying with Saint John and Le...he should be comin' back later this morning."

"That's right," Caitlin replied. "I remember Sinj picked him up before we left to start the mission...but don't worry, String, it's not like I haven't had other things on my mind the past few hours."

_You can say that again,_ String said to himself. Just then, he heard the CB radio crackle to life. "_String? You there? What's going on?"_

"Dom," Hawke said as he and Caitlin walked over to the radio.

"Yeah, we're here. Come on in, Dom," Hawke replied.

"Hi, Dom," Caitlin said as Hawke held the microphone to her lips.

"_Cait? You okay, sweetheart?"_ Something in Caitlin's voice told Dom something was..._different_ from when he saw her last, and he was concerned.

"I'm fine, Dom," Cait replied. "Everything's back to normal and I remember everything...and every_one,_" she added.

"_Good to hear that," Dom said, and Cait and String could hear the relief in his voice. "Hey, I got somebody here that wants to talk to you."_

"_Cait?"_

"Good to hear your voice, Sinj," Caitlin replied, smiling at her husband. "And I'm real happy that I recognize it...and I know you. Is Jimmy there with you?"

"_Yeah, he and Le have been helping Dom around here today...listen, I can come up there later with Jimmy..."_

"_What Saint John means is that **we'll** be up there later,"_ Dom said after he snatched the microphone out of Saint John's hand._ "All of us."_

"We'll be waiting," Caitlin replied, snuggling into her husband's arms.

Dom arrived around dinner time with Saint John, Le, and Jimmy.

"Mom! You're okay!" Jimmy said as he launched himself into Caitlin's arms. Saint John had told him about his mother's injury, what he could tell anyway, and Jimmy had been concerned when he learned that Caitlin had lost her memory.

"Yeah, sweetie, I'm fine," Caitlin replied as she hugged her son. "I was a little out of it for a while, but now, I'm back...and you need to clean your room, young man!" Saint John and String exchanged a knowing glance as Caitlin smiled at her son.

"Aw, Mom!" Jimmy shouted. "I was kinda hopin' you didn't remember that, but...I'm just glad you're okay again." He gave Caitlin another short hug then went to his room.

"When did your memory come back, Cait?" Dom asked as he started dinner.

"Late last night," Caitlin said. "It started when I was remembering what happened the first time I flew in Airwolf, and String came from the guest room when I screamed. We talked a little bit about what I remembered, then...when he left me alone in our bed, everything came back," she finished.

"Well, I'm certainly glad that's over," Saint John said. "I hate to think what would've happened if your memory loss was permanent."

"Me too, Sinj...me, too," Caitlin answered him, smiling at String.

A few minutes later everyone was sitting around the dining room table enjoying Dom's spaghetti with marinara sauce, and plenty of garlic bread. "Aunt Cait?" Le asked. "Did you really forget...everybody? Even me?"

"Yeah, Half-Pint," Caitlin replied, sadly. "I couldn't remember you, Dom, your dad, or even Jimmy and your Uncle String until late last night when everything came back. It really bothered me...not bein' able to remember my family like that."

"But, it's over now," String said, "and everybody's okay."

"Thank goodness," Saint John replied. "Guess Cait's not as hard-headed as you said she was, little brother," he teased String.

"Oh, she's plenty hard-headed, Sinj," String replied, winking at Cait, "but what she hit was a lot harder."

"Well...as long as it doesn't happen again," Saint John replied as everyone finished dinner.

A few hours later, Caitlin and String stood in each other's arms, watching Dom's helicopter leave the dock to take himself, Saint John, and Le back to Santini Air. Jimmy had already gone to sleep, so they were alone as they walked back into the cabin.

"String," Caitlin said as she started up the stairs to the sleeping loft, "you coming?"

"If that's what you want, Cait," he replied, moving towards her on the stairs. Caitlin closed the distance between them and grabbed him around the waist, pulling him close to her in another passionate, heated kiss.

When she separated them, once they had both caught their breath, she said, "Stringfellow Hawke, I've only got one thing to say to you—take me to bed, or lose me forever!" String laughed as he caught Caitlin up in his arms and carried her the rest of the way to the sleeping loft. As they began undressing each other, Caitlin said, "String...don't worry. You're not gonna lose me—unless, of course, you do somethin' stupid and let me go. I just said that to get your attention." She giggled, then continued, "I promise you—no matter what happens...I love you. I will _always_ love you."

"Well, then, I've got nothing to worry about—because I'll never let you go, Cait. _Never," _String said, pulling her closer to him to emphasize his point. "And, I'll always love you, Caitlin Hawke," String replied as he picked her up in his arms again and lay her on the bed, joining her a moment later. They made love long and slow, each allowing the other to savor every moment, until they were finally sated.

As she felt Hawke's body next to hers as she slipped into sleep, Caitlin relaxed in her husband's embrace and thought to herself, _I sure hope I never go through that again. The look on __String__'s face __when he figured out that I couldn't remember him...I hated that. __Almost as much as I hated his expression back at the Horn compound, when String thought he'd killed Dom. __And __just like I decided then, __I'll do anything to keep from having to see it again...'cause I never want to see that expression again. EVER._ Then she realized something. _String didn't make fun of the fact that I forgot our wedding day...and the day Jimmy was born...like I thought he would. Just another reason why I love him so danged much, I guess. And why I'll always love him. _Sighing, she snuggled back against Hawke's chest and allowed sleep to overtake her.

As Hawke pulled Caitlin's body tight against his own, he thought to himself, _I'm glad you're back, Cait. I...I dunno what I would've done without you. _He relished in the feeling of her body tight against his own and sighed with relief as he felt sleep overtaking him. _What's next?_ He wondered to himself. _Whatever it is, we'll face it...together. Just like we always have...and just like we always will._ He finally felt sleep closing in and completely claiming him as he closed his eyes, and pondered the future.


	2. Chapter 2

_Remember Me, Chap. 2_

_Disclaimer—_Don't own them...just having another play date.

_Summary—_Hawke has lost his memory due to an injury he suffered in an accident. Can Caitlin's love, along with Dom and Saint John, bring Hawke back?

A/N—This is an idea that branched off from a suggestion from Starclipper01, and this chapter, focusing on Hawke suffering a similar injury to Cait in Chap. 1, ends this little arc. Once again, italics will be used to indicate memories trying to break through, as well as other thoughts from characters. Also, bringing in Eagle, String and Caitlin's dog from _Saying Goodbye._ Enjoy, and please don't forget to review—robertwnielsen

_What the hell happened?_ Stringfellow Hawke asked himself when he regained consciousness. The first thing he noticed when his eyes opened was the fact that he was in a white—_what else, _Hawke said to himself—hospital room. The next things he noticed were three pairs of eyes staring at him—one pair belonging to the most beautiful woman Stringfellow Hawke had seen in a long time. Finally, he felt like he could speak. "Ohh...my head! Where—where am I?"

"Thank God," Caitlin Hawke said as she saw her husband's ice-blue eyes open.

"I'll get the doctor," Dominic Santini said, hurrying out of the room.

"String?" Saint John Hawke asked. "How're you feeling, little brother?"

"Little brother?" String replied.

"I've called you that since we were kids, String," Saint John replied, even as he exchanged a worried look with Caitlin. "Do you know where you are?"

"I'm flat on my back in a hospital bed," Hawke grumbled, causing both Caitlin and Saint John to smile. Just that quick, though, their smiles were erased when Hawke said, "but who the hell are you two?"

_Please, God, no. Not String,_ Caitlin said to herself, remembering a few months previous when she had been injured during an Airwolf mission, and lost her memory. _I sure hope String gets over this as quick as I did—or we're all in BIG trouble._

"String, that's not funny," Caitlin said. "It's us—your older brother Saint John...and me, Caitlin. Your wife," she finished, showing him her wedding ring.

_Wife?_ Hawke said to himself. _Well...not that I totally dislike the idea...she is beautiful. But...the curse...I can't be married!_ Aloud, he said, "I'm sorry, miss. I'm not married. And, I've never seen you before in my life," he said, although it wasn't with the firmness in his voice that Caitlin knew.

Caitlin felt her heart sink right to her sneakers, especially at the last part of Hawke's statement. "String," she said, moving over to the side of his bed, "yes, you and I have been married for the last ten years." She lifted his left hand to show him the wedding band he wore, then showed him her own, matching band again.

"And I'm your older brother Saint John," Saint John replied. "I came back from duty overseas with a Special Ops Group a few months before you guys got married. Don't you remember?"

"I—I'm sorry...Saint John," Hawke replied, shaking his head, "but I don't."

Just then, Dominic came back into the room with a doctor.

"String? How're you feeling, buddy?" Dom asked.

"I'm...I'm not sure. I...I can't remember any of you...except for you, Dominic."

Dom exchanged a concerned look with Saint John and Caitlin. Just then, the doctor turned to him. "Well, aside from the amnesia, Mr. Hawke seems to be fine. Will one of you be taking responsibility for him?"

"I will," Caitlin replied. "I am his wife, after all...no matter what he says." She smiled at him to let him know there were no hard feelings—she was merely stating the truth. _Deja vu, _Caitlin said to herself, recalling how Hawke had told her he'd said almost the same thing when she lost her memory a few months prior.

"_I see no reason why you can't leave the hospital today...Mr. Hawke, I assume you'll be taking care of her?"_

"_Yes, Doctor," Hawke replied. "No matter what she says, I am her husband, so I'll take her home and take care of her there."_

_Now I know how it feels,_ Caitlin said to herself.

"Wait a minute," Hawke replied, struggling to sit up in the bed. "I've got a load of questions I need answered before I go anywhere with any strangers...even beautiful ones," he said, glancing at Caitlin, and noticing her blush slightly.

_Here we go again,_ Caitlin said to herself sadly, remembering how hard it had been for her to believe she was married to Hawke when she'd suffered amnesia after being hurt on an Airwolf mission, six months ago. Hawke had suffered his injury while flying a movie stunt for a client, after he flew into the wrong side of a building on set—the building was supposed to be balsa wood and easily breakable, but someone put the building up backwards, and the collision had knocked Hawke unconscious. _I guess...I guess it's up to me,_ she said to herself.

"Not completely," Dom said, seemingly reading her thoughts. "Sinj and I aren't gonna let you do this alone, Cait. Not like String did."

"Thanks, guys," Caitlin replied.

"Now," Hawke said after Dom had helped him get dressed, "would one of you mind telling me what the hell happened, and how I wound up in a hospital?"

"String," Dom said, "you were flyin' a stunt for that movie we've been working on...only, the crew put the building you flew into up backwards—you were supposed to fly into simple paper and balsa wood, but...it didn't quite work out that way. We rushed you here as soon as we could." Dom's face betrayed the amount of concern he felt.

"You've been unconscious for two days, String," Caitlin continued, moving over to stand next to his bed. "I've—I've been here the whole time, hoping you'd wake up. Dom and Sinj came this morning, just before you did wake up."

"Okay," String said, not sure he believed everything he'd just heard. Then, something happened...a voice in his head...or rather, a series of voices.

_I have a job for you._

_I already have a job, __Hawke__ grumbled._

_This one pays a million dollars. Half now, half on delivery._

_Of WHAT? Hawke demanded._

_Airwolf. Moffet stole it five weeks ago,_ a woman's voice said. _Those voices...I—I know those voices...but from where? _Hawke said to himself. _And what the hell is Airwolf? Then, the older man spoke again._

_Stringfellow Hawke...Gabrielle, he said. Okay...now at least I know the woman's name...but who the hell is this guy? Hawke thought to himself. _

"Saint John," String said, mispronouncing his brother's first name, "you say you're my older brother...that's impossible. He and I went down on the same mission...but he didn't get picked up. He's been MIA for sixteen years."

"String...first of all, my first name is pronounced 'Sin-jin,' not 'Saint John.' Secondly, yeah, we did go down on the same mission...but I got rescued shortly before the end of the war, and was approached by the CIA to form a covert strike unit...I was working under deep cover all those years...you and I had quite the argument about it when I got home, shortly before you and Cait got married," Saint John replied, hoping he'd stirred some memories in his younger brother.

"Sorry...Saint John," String replied, getting the pronunciation correct, "but I don't remember."

"That's okay, little brother. Do you remember the crash, String?" Saint John asked.

"I wish I did...or maybe not," String replied, causing Dom and Caitlin to nod sympathetically. "It sounds like I scared you all pretty bad—especially you...Saint John," he said, nodding at the man who claimed to be his older brother. "I'm—I'm sorry."

"Don't be, little brother," Saint John replied. "And...don't worry—we'll get you back to yourself in no time."

"I sure hope so," Hawke replied, as he got ready to leave the hospital.

As Caitlin took him back to Santini Air, she was already thinking of things she had to do when they got back to the cabin. _First thing, I'll make up the guest room...guess...guess I'll be sleeping in there tonight,_ she said to herself sadly, remembering how Hawke had done the same for her when she'd lost her memory.

"_Don't worry about it, Cait," Hawke replied. "You can have the main bedroom...I'll take the guest room...okay?"_

"_Okay, Hawke," Caitlin said. "But...if we're married, shouldn't we...?"_

"_Cait," Hawke said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "it wouldn't be right for us to share a bed when you don't remember that we're in love...and that we're married. I'll be just down the hall if you need me...okay?"_

"_Okay, Hawke," Caitlin replied as the two of them walked upstairs and Hawke helped Caitlin pick out a nightgown. "Good night, Cait," Hawke said as he turned to walk out._

"_Good night, Hawke," Caitlin replied. "And...thanks."_

"_Anytime," Hawke replied._

_Should I have Jimmy stay with Saint John and Le again?_ Caitlin asked herself as they pulled up to the hangar. _Nah. Maybe...maybe seein' our son will help String. I—I sure hope so._

"What are we doing here?" Hawke demanded as he climbed out of the jeep.

"This is Santini Air," Dom said proudly, gesturing to the hangar. "You guys all work here with me—Saint John, Cait, and you, String. We do executive transport, movie work, all kinds of stuff."

"And...my—that is—our parents?" Hawke asked. Saint John and Dom looked at each other, worriedly.

"String," Saint John said, "our parents were...were killed when you were twelve years old—a boat accident, out on the lake by the cabin. Dom's raised us ever since—he promised Dad that if anything ever happened to them, Dom would take care of us." Saint John smiled at the older man, who returned his smile.

"Your dad was my best friend," Dominic said. "Alan and I served together in WWII...and when he told me that Jane—your mother, and Alan's wife, of course—was pregnant, that was the least I could do."

"Okay," String replied, running one hand through his hair. "And, you say that we've been married for ten years?" He asked, turning to Caitlin.

"Yes," Caitlin replied. "We—we met down in Texas about thirteen years ago...took me forever to get you to understand how much I loved you—you always were the stubborn one, at least that's what Dom and Saint John told me—but finally, I got through to you, and we fell in love and got married. We...we have a son, Jimmy...he's eight...and we were thinking about another baby," Caitlin finished.

"Nicely told, Cait," Dom whispered to her, knowing that Cait didn't want to reveal everything about their time in Pope County, since Hawke had no recollection of Airwolf. He turned to String, and laughed in spite of the seriousness of the situation. "Y'know, I remember talkin' to you after you saw Cait the first time," Dom said, then noticed String getting a faraway look in his eyes.

_She was...kinda cute, huh, String?_ _Dom asked._

_Cute? She's a KID! Hawke retorted._

_OH? I didn't know the Texas Highway Patrol let kids fly their choppers! Dom replied. Well, you know what they say—Dom stopped as Hawke interrupted him._

_What? Hawke snapped rudely._

_They always get their man! Dom replied, a cheerful smile in his voice._

_That's the Canadian Mounties! Hawke replied._

_Same principle! Dom said, then began singing "The Yellow Rose of Texas."_

"String? String? Where were you just now?" Saint John asked.

"Sorry...guess I kinda spaced out there for a second," Hawke replied, shaking his head. "I...I was hearing the strangest voices." That got Caitlin's attention, as she remembered hearing voices almost from the minute she and Hawke left the hospital the day she lost her memory. She found herself daring to hope that things would be back to normal, soon.

"What did the...voices say?" Caitlin asked.

"It was...my voice, and...Dom's voice," Hawke said, "he was asking me...asking me if she was cute," Hawke said, and Caitlin immediately realized _she_ was who Dom was talking about. _I remember Dom tellin' me this story about a year after Hawke and I got married,_ Caitlin said to herself.

"Then I said she was a kid...and Dom said that he didn't know the Texas Highway Patrol let kids fly their choppers...and he said somethin' about them always getting their man...and I said that was the Canadian Mounties," Hawke said, surprised he could remember so many details.

Caitlin felt herself growing angry at Hawke's generalization of her as a "kid," but then she said to herself, _I was a kid when I first saw Hawke in that cell...and he didn't know me from Adam back then...just like he...he doesn't now,_ Caitlin said sadly as she got a helicopter ready to take her and Hawke back home. Then something hit her. _He's been saying 'Dom.' __At least he remembers Dom...so that's something__._

"Well, come on, String," Caitlin said, opening the passenger-side door of the chopper. "Time to go home."

_Mom and Dad always told me never to trust strangers..._Hawke said to himself..._at least—I think they always told me that—but this...this feels right. Like I'm...I'm supposed to trust her._

"All...all right, Caitlin," Hawke replied, and looked into her eyes. "I...I trust you." Suddenly Hawke noticed something—_her_ _eyes are beautiful. A wonderful shade of blue-green. _

_Well...it's a beginning,_ Caitlin said to herself. She turned to Dom and said aloud, "Well...I'll keep you guys posted...okay?"

"You better," Dom replied, smiling at her, "or else I'll be comin' up there tonight to find out what's goin' on!" Even though he smiled when he'd said it, Caitlin knew he meant what he said. She gave Dom and Saint John both a friendly hug, then climbed into the pilot's seat of the helicopter, got clearance from the tower, started the engine, and took the patriotically-painted helicopter into the sky, pointing it towards the cabin.

The flight passed in silence for the first few minutes, until Hawke finally spoke up. "Married, huh?"

"Yeah," Caitlin sighed. "'Course, I loved you from the day I met you back in Texas...but you wouldn't let yourself love me 'cause of some curse you thought you had—that anyone you loved, or _might love, _would die. Guess I've proven that wrong, as many scrapes as I've been in...especially since I've known you," she said, smiling.

"Why? Why would knowing me put you in any danger?" Hawke asked.

_Uh-oh,_ Caitlin said to herself, realizing she may have inadvertently said too much. "Oh, nothin', String," she said out loud as they approached the cabin. She expertly set the helicopter down on the dock, then helped Hawke unstrap, and the two of them walked towards the cabin.

"It's really beautiful up here," Hawke said as he glanced around at the view. "You say I've lived here all my life...alone?"

"Not _all _your life, String," Caitlin said. "Your mom and dad lived here with you and Saint John until they were killed in that accident Saint John mentioned back at the hangar. Then, you did live alone up here until we got married." She stopped as Eagle, their dog, and their son Jimmy came running out to meet them.

"Mom! Dad!" Jimmy shouted. When Hawke didn't return Jimmy's hug, he turned to Caitlin and said, "Mom? Something's wrong, isn't it? Something with Dad?"

"Yeah," Caitlin said, laying a hand on their son's shoulder. "You remember a few months ago, when I couldn't remember you, your dad, or anybody else? Well...now your dad's got the same problem. He was flyin' a movie stunt and got hurt, and now...now, he can't remember a thing." She turned to Hawke and said, "String, this is Jimmy...our son."

"Hello, Jimmy," Hawke said, but there was no emotion in his voice.

"Hi, Dad," Jimmy replied as he fought to keep the tears out of his voice. "Sorry you got hurt."

"Me, too," Hawke said. "Especially since it means I can't remember this place, or you, or anybody else...including this lady here," he said, nodding at Caitlin.

"That's Mom, Dad," Jimmy replied. "You can't have forgotten Mom!"

"Sorry, Jimmy...but I have," Hawke replied as they all went inside. Eagle walked over and sat down next to Hawke, whining until Hawke gave him a scratch behind the ears. "Tet?" he asked, causing Caitlin to react.

"No, String...this is Eagle. Tet—Tet died a few years ago, and I bought Eagle for you as a Christmas gift...he does look a lot like Tet, though, so I guess I understand how you got confused," she said, smiling at him.

"Sorry...Eagle," Hawke said, and Eagle just whined sympathetically at him. Caitlin went into the kitchen to start on lunch, since neither she nor String had eaten. A few minutes later, she had four tuna salad sandwiches made up.

"Eat, String," she said, handing him a plate with two sandwiches. Jimmy was a little startled, but went to the kitchen and fixed himself a sandwich too.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, smiling at her. Just like that, another vision came into his head.

"_You know, maybe your...your mommy's right,_" Dom was saying. _"You **should **be lookin' out for your future. And, there's a lot of guys out there!"_

"_Oh, yeah?" Caitlin demanded. "WHERE?"_

_Dom pointed at Hawke and said, "Well?" Hawke looked up as Dom laughed, and Caitlin's jaw dropped in panic._

"Hawke? You okay?" Caitlin asked. "You were spaced out again."

"Sorry," Hawke replied around a mouthful of sandwich. "I...I was hearing Dom...he was talking to you about your future, and how there were a lot of guys out there. You said, "Where?" And Dom pointed at me and said, "Well?"

Caitlin smiled in spite of the situation. "Yeah," she said. "That was right after the plane I was on goin' home to Texas got hijacked."

"_Hijacked?"_ Hawke asked. "What happened?"

"I was flyin' home for my sister Erin's wedding...but, somebody forced the plane down in the Gulf of Mexico...but we made it," Caitlin replied. "It was touch and go for awhile, though—the plane was on the bottom of the ocean, and I didn't think we'd ever be rescued...but suddenly, we heard rescue ships and we knew things were gonna be okay. But I missed my sister's wedding, and argued with Mom about it on the phone afterward. And that's when Dom made that comment about my future," she said. She added, "I was so embarrassed when Dom did that—pointed at you, I mean...I didn't know what the heck you were thinking, and in all honesty, I hadn't figured out how I felt about you just yet—we didn't know each other that well," Caitlin said, and saw String nodding.

"Caitlin," Hawke said, "I—I wish I could remember you, and Jimmy."

"You will, String," Caitlin replied, squeezing his hand. "I promise you, you will."

Caitlin decided she needed to say something to Jimmy about what was going on. "Jimmy...sorry if it seems like I'm doting on your dad and ignoring you, but under the circumstances..."

"I think I understand, Mom," Jimmy said, seeing the expression in Caitlin's eyes. "Uncle Saint John told me about what happened to you and how Dad took care of you 'til you got your memory back...so you go ahead and do the same for Dad." He smiled at Caitlin to let her know he was okay with the situation.

"Thanks, Jimmy," Caitlin replied as she turned her attention to the lunch dishes.

Later that afternoon, Hawke had decided to take a walk, to try and clear his head. As he walked, he heard the voices again.

_It's in Libya. Qaddafi's got it, said an older man, dressed all in white, save a black patch over his left eye. There was also a beautiful woman standing with the strange man...he had introduced her as...what was it? Gabrielle...that was it, Hawke said to himself._

_Great! That means, so do the Russians! Hawke said as he tossed the man a cigar._

_Not yet. So far, he hasn't even let them take a look at it, the strange man replied. Hawke saw him awkwardly catch the cigar, then hand it to Gabrielle, who bit the end off it, and handed it back to the man in white. _

_What is IT?_ Hawke asked himself. Then he remembered something he'd heard earlier...something about _"Airwolf."_ _That must be "it," he said to himself. Then another memory came into his head._

_Gimme the chain guns and the ADF pods! Offensive weapon panel! Right rear! Hawke shouted, over the roar of the engines and the sounds of explosions and erupting gunfire._

_SET! Dom shouted a few moments later._

_Hey, String! I got it working! Yeah, I can see real good! Hey, I—I can see—Dom stopped as he realized exactly what he saw. Oh, my GOD!_

_Bring the canteen in the port storage bin! Hawke shouted after he'd landed Airwolf. He ran to Gabrielle, taking her in his arms. She spoke about wanting to see the eagle, then she was still._

_Gabrielle? Gabrielle! Hawke shook her, trying to get a response, but Gabrielle was silent and still in his arms. NO! Hawke shouted. He felt Dom's hand on his shoulder as he said, She promised me, dammit! She promised me!_

_Then he saw Moffet, standing in front of an Army jeep, pointing a revolver at the helicopter. He seemed to be aiming for the refueling probe, but Hawke fired a missile at him. After it exploded, Hawke continued firing, over and over again, until finally he heard the click of the trigger against his hand, and Dom said, "String...it's done."_

Hawke stopped in the middle of the clearing. What had he been through? And who was Gabrielle? _Something tells me I better not mention her to Caitlin,_ Hawke said to himself. Just then, another vision came into his head.

_Caitlin! Deploy the pods!_

_Where? Where is it?_

_Release the missile chamber! Top button above the fire—Hawke stopped as Caitlin interrupted him._

_Oh...got it! Got it!_

_Hang on! Hawke shouted as he pulled the helicopter into a steep climb. As the missile exploded below them, Caitlin shouted, Ooh!_

Shaking his head at the visions he was experiencing, Hawke turned and headed back towards the cabin. A few minutes later he was back, watching Caitlin as she worked on dinner.

"Smells great," he said, taking in the aroma of the baked trout.

"Well, you taught me how to make all your favorite dishes," Caitlin replied, walking over to him with a glass of wine, which she noticed he readily accepted.

"That's...that's good," Hawke replied, and something in his expression worried Caitlin.

"Hawke? You okay?"

"Yeah...I guess so. I've been hearing...the strangest voices, though, ever since I woke up in the hospital. Sometimes mine...sometimes Dom's...and sometimes, even yours. And then, there's this other man...he wore all white, except for a black eye patch, and he talked about something called...Airwolf. Do you know who that man is...and what he's talking about?"

_Here we go,_ Caitlin said to herself. "Yeah, String...I do know who he is. That man is Michael Coldsmith-Briggs III...you, Dom and I call him "Archangel." He's a member of a division of the CIA called "The FIRM"...actually the Deputy Director...and they developed Airwolf...it's a helicopter, or I once called it a "black battleship with rotors," 'cause that's what she looked like when I first saw her. Anyway, the guy who built Airwolf, Charles Henry Moffet, stole her during a weapons demo, and took her to Libya. Michael recruited you and Dom to help get her back...and you've kept her hidden from Michael ever since."

"Why would I do that?" Hawke asked.

"You were usin' Airwolf as a bargaining chip," Caitlin said as they sat down to eat, along with Jimmy. "You told Michael that you wanted Saint John...so you and Michael reached an agreement—you'd fly Airwolf for Michael if he helped you either find your brother, or find proof that he was dead."

"But...my brother's alive, right? That man at the hangar..."

"Yeah, he's alive, String. But you danged near gave up lookin' for him more than once, 'cause you'd hit so many dead ends," Caitlin replied, and String nodded at her.

"How long?" Hawke asked.

"Almost sixteen years," Caitlin replied. "But like Saint John told you, he came home a little before we got married. Turned out he'd been doin' special ops work for the CIA. He figured you thought he was dead anyway, so he didn't see the harm in it."

"Huh," Hawke said. "That does sound like Saint John, though. Caitlin, can I ask you something?"

"Of course, String...you can ask me anything." She stopped herself before she said, _"you know that." That's the problem—he doesn't know that—__or at least, he doesn't remember it,_ Caitlin said to herself, sadly.

"Were we...happy together? Before this happened, I mean?"

Caitlin smiled at him as she said, "Yeah, String...once you figured out how I felt about you, and decided it'd be okay to love me the same way I love you, we've been very happy."

"Why would I think otherwise? If that's what I thought?" Hawke asked. Once again, Caitlin found herself fighting a sense of _deja vu. That's almost exactly what I said to String...when I lost my memory,_ she said to herself. She fought down her emotions, which were threatening to break through again, and then spoke to String.

"String...for the longest time, you felt like you had a curse on you—that anyone you love, or _might love, _would die. And things kinda kept happening that made you believe that—first there was your parents getting killed...then you and your high school girlfriend Kelly were in a car accident, and she died...and then Saint John disappeared, when you and he went down on the same mission. And finally...there was Gabrielle," Caitlin finished.

"Who was Gabrielle?" Hawke asked, as her name rang a bell in his head.

_Stringfellow Hawke...Gabrielle, the man Hawke now knew as Archangel was saying again. _He pulled himself into the present as Caitlin continued.

"She was Archangel's pilot...she flew him up here to tell you about Moffet stealing Airwolf...and you two became lovers," Caitlin replied. "But then, Michael had to send her to Libya after Angela...their operative there who was going to help you recover Airwolf,..was captured and murdered. Gabrielle wound up getting captured too, and Moffet tortured her and left her in the desert to die," Caitlin finished, as she noticed Hawke's eyes growing distant again.

_I knew you played the cello well...I didn't know you serenaded eagles, Gabrielle was saying._

_Tryin__' to get her to trust me, Hawke said as Gabrielle moved closer to him. Make her understand I won't hurt her if she gets close. Then, __he'd kissed her__._

Then, Michael was standing eating what appeared to be a steak, at Hawke's cabin.

_Four hours ago, an American destroyer went down in the Gulf of Sirte. The press is being told that a missile went off in the magazine, that it was an accident—it was **Airwolf.**_

_Dammit! Hawke growled._

_The President used slightly stronger language. We've got 48 hours to recover Airwolf, or they're sending in the **Marines.** The Russians have a task force shadowing our carrier group in the Med. If we invade Libya, chances are, it'll mean World War III._

_I remember that night,_ Hawke said to himself, even as he remembered giving Michael a right cross to the jaw. _Let's see what else I can remember._

Then, Hawke saw himself in an airport in France, getting into an elevator, and a woman of Asian descent was speaking to him.

_One more thing. Angela is dead._

_HOW? Hawke demanded._

_We don't know yet. Her family simply received a wire notifying them of her death. We're hoping it was an accident._

_HOPING? Hawke asked incredulously. If the Libyans made her, and she talked, they're gonna know I'm coming!_

_We don't think they did, the woman said._

_You don't think! Hawke scoffed as the elevator door began to close._

_There was no time to check, the woman said. All we could do was to send in another operative who was familiar with the situation!_

_Hawke jammed his hand in the door's path, causing it to re-open. WHAT OTHER OPERATIVE? he demanded, angrily._

_Then, Hawke and Dom were standing listening to two other men. One said, Moffet's got that dancing girl from the Red Castle staked out to a sand dune somewhere, torturing her!_

_So what? She's nothing to us! The other man snapped._

_Well, she is to **ME! **Hawke snapped back, aiming his submachine gun at both men._

"Sorry, Cait," Hawke said as he shook his head. "Spaced out there for a minute."

"So I noticed," Caitlin replied. "And you called me 'Cait.'"

"Yeah, so? It sounds like a shortened form of Caitlin," Hawke replied.

"Yeah...but you used to call me that all the time," Caitlin replied. "But...it's okay. Maybe that means your memory's comin' back."

"I sure hope so," Hawke said. "The only reason I asked about Gabrielle...I heard her voice while I was out for my walk. She was talking to Michael, and then later talked to me. I...I just didn't want to upset you."

_That sounds like my String,_ Caitlin said to herself. _Always thinkin' about me and my feelings._ "You didn't upset me, String," Caitlin replied. "Neither one of us even knew the other existed when you knew Gabrielle, so it's okay." She smiled at him to try to let him know everything was okay.

"So...I guess Airwolf's pretty valuable, huh?"

"You could say that, String," Caitlin said. "She's got more firepower than a small Army brigade...plus, she's completely bulletproof. Capable of supersonic speed, too. You were the original test pilot, from what Michael told me," Caitlin added, smiling at him.

"Impressive," Hawke said. "And...we fly her?"

"Yeah, all three of us. You, me, and Dom. Sometimes, you even let Michael fly in her."

_Hawke...there's 45,000 pounds of thrust in those turbines! What'll happen to the tail rotor? Michael asked from the engineering station. _

_IGNITION! Hawke called out, as Michael threw the switch to ignite the turbos._

_The scene shifted again, and Hawke found himself and Michael confronted by a group of immigrants. They had both tried to talk to the group in Spanish, but the leader, who was holding a rifle pointed at Hawke and Michael, said, "Please, stop! Never speak Spanish to me again...your Spanish is horrible!" as he looked at Michael. Then, he looked at Hawke and said, "Yours is not as bad...but let us stick to English..."_

"String? You okay?"

"Yeah...sorry, Caitlin. Just spaced out again. Is...Airwolf why I thought you'd be in danger if you knew me?" Hawke asked.

"Well, sorta...the rest was because of that curse I told you about...the one where you thought anyone you loved, or _might love, _would die," Caitlin said, and saw String nodding at her.

"I...I think I understand. Listen, Caitlin...what are we going to do about...?"

"Don't worry about it, String," Caitlin replied. "I'll sleep in the guest room...you can have the main bedroom, okay?"

"Are you sure?" Hawke asked her. "If—if we're married, shouldn't we—well, you know?"

_Deja vu all over again,_ Caitlin said to herself, recalling having the reversed conversation with Hawke when she lost her memory. "Hawke," she said, laying a hand on his shoulder, "I'll tell you the same thing you told me when I lost my memory—it wouldn't be right for us to share a bed, with you not knowing who you are, or the fact that I'm your wife. Okay?"

"Okay," Hawke replied. "If you say so."

"I say so, Hawke," Caitlin replied, and her tone of voice left little doubt in Hawke's mind that she meant what she'd said. "Besides, this is what you did when I lost my memory—you slept in the guest room, and I slept in our bed. Maybe—maybe that's what helped my memory come back so quick...I dunno. Anyway, I hope it does the same for you." She led him up the stairs to the main bedroom, then, in spite of herself, Caitlin turned around and kissed him, a gentle, loving kiss that set Hawke's soul on fire. _Wow,_ he thought to himself as they separated, _she can sure kiss._ Caitlin drew away quickly and headed down the hall for the guest room to go to sleep. And just like that, another vision came into Hawke's head.

_You try anything, and I'll bite your lip, Caitlin told Hawke. They had just been told by the director that they were supposed to kiss, and to make it look as real as possible. Hawke had just smiled at Caitlin and kissed her when the director yelled, "Action!", and even though he sensed they were both nervous, Hawke tried to make the kiss as real as possible._

_Wait a minute, _Hawke said to himself as he undressed for bed. _I've kissed her before? And...something tells me...that wasn't the only time, either._

_He promised me, dammit! He promised he'd never forget!_ Caitlin said to herself as she got ready for bed. She remembered a few months ago, after she'd gotten her memory back, how she'd said, _My _name _is Caitlin _Hawke, _smart guy. And don't you forget it._

_And String said, 'I won't. I promise you, I won't,'_ Caitlin said to herself sadly. _But...now he has...Of course, he didn't count on flyin' into the wrong side of a building and losing his memory when he said that, _Caitlin said to herself as she finished getting ready for bed.

Alone in the guest room, Caitlin thought about what she'd done a few moments ago. _I shouldn't have done that,_ she said to herself. _Kissed him like that. I just...I want my String back. The one who loves me. _She spotted a photo of the two of them on the dresser and picked it up, as she said a silent prayer. _God? I promise you...I'll never ask you for anything else as long as I live...if you'll just do me one little favor. Please...bring __my __String back to me._ She quietly sobbed as she clutched the picture to her chest, then climbed into bed and closed her eyes to try and sleep.

In their bedroom, Hawke's mind was going in a thousand different directions. Just before he closed his eyes to try to sleep, he heard Caitlin sob from the guest room, and as he debated getting up and going to her, he found a picture on one of the night tables—a picture of him and Caitlin on their wedding day, out on the dock. Suddenly, just as Hawke closed his eyes, a vision snapped into his mind.

_Sawyer! That girl had better be all right!_

_Hero to the end, eh, Hawke? Sawyer taunted him, waving the detonator device in his face and laughing as he turned to board a B-25._

_Well...he armed it, Hawke said as the bomb Sawyer had slapped onto Airwolf's center console began ticking. When that timer gets to zero, that's it. How're we doing?_

_I'm workin' on it! Dom said. If I can't find the detonator's radio frequency, we won't be able to block the firing mechanism._

_Well, we're gonna know in 21 seconds, Hawke stated._

_I'm TRYING! Dom shouted, tapping his keyboard furiously._

_That's cutting it close, Dom, Hawke said as he glanced at the bomb timer, which had finally stopped. 3 seconds._

Hawke's eyes snapped open. "Cait!" he shouted, concerned. _I won't be able to go back to sleep until...until I know she's okay._

"Yeah, String?" Caitlin answered him, having run from the guest room when she heard his voice.

"Did we...did we meet someone who tried to blow Airwolf up?" Hawke asked. "He...he had some kinda bomb, or something."

"Yeah," Caitlin replied as she sat on the foot of the bed. "His name...his name was Ken Sawyer. This was a little bit before you and I got married...I mean, you and I were in love, and Sawyer came to the hangar askin' about flying lessons...at least, that was the story he told me...but that was a crock of baloney. Turned out he had a bunch of nuclear detonators he wanted to smuggle down to Mexico...and he wanted to use Airwolf. So he kidnapped me and used me as bait to convince you and Dom to help him. He had a bomb strapped around me, too...Michael and Babe couldn't do much except watch the timer until Dom got the firing mechanism jammed."

"Babe?" Hawke demanded, and just like that, he saw the man Caitlin was referring to.

_Where have you guys been? Babe demanded as Hawke and Dom got out of Airwolf. You missed all the **fun!** Dom looked at Hawke as if to say, 'The guy's nuts,' or something like that._

"Henry was his real name, I think—he was an explosives expert the FIRM brought in to help rescue me, since the ship Sawyer was holdin' me captive on was full of booby traps," Caitlin said. "Did you remember somethin' about Sawyer?"

"Yeah, I remembered telling him that you...I called you 'that girl'...had better be all right," Hawke said, and Caitlin smiled at the memory as Hawke added, "And I think I remembered Babe, too...he said something about us missing all the fun, and then Dom looked at me like he thought Babe was nuts, or something." Hawke said, and Caitlin nodded as she recalled hearing about that.

"That's good, String," Caitlin replied, and smiled at him. "That's good." She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, then got up to head back to bed. Just before she reached the door, Hawke said, "Cait? Did you...kiss me after you got rescued?"

"Yeah, String, I did," Caitlin replied. "Michael was walking off the ship with me, and I saw you and Dom coming towards us. I let go of Michael and ran up to you and Dom, and kissed both of you...but I've gotta tell you, String...I held the kiss with you a little longer than the one with Dom. Maybe I was tryin' to tell you that I was okay...that I hadn't died, even though it looked bad for a while, I dunno. Did you...did you remember when I kissed you?"

"Yeah," String replied. "That time...and a time on a movie set. I heard you say that if I tried anything, you were going to bite my lip."

"Yeah, I did say that," Caitlin replied, smiling as she recalled that day. _The first time you ever kissed __me, String. __And even though that director had to practically twist your arm off to do it, once you opened up and __**really **__kissed me...__I knew right then that we belonged together,_ Caitlin said to herself. Aloud, she said, "But only 'cause I didn't know you that well...I didn't know what you were thinkin', or if you might try somethin'. But, that's good, String," even as she stifled a yawn. "It's good that you remembered all that, but now, I...I think I'm gonna go back to the guest room and go to bed. You okay?"

"Yeah, I think so," Hawke replied. "And, Cait...thanks." He smiled at her, and felt a sense of relief when Caitlin returned the smile.

"Any time, String," Caitlin replied, then added, "you did the same for me, when I lost my memory," she said with a smile, before turning off the light and leaving Hawke alone in the darkness again.

Hawke closed his eyes and tried to sleep again, but the memories came too fast.

_I was in a WWII-era plane...diving for a barn that was supposed to be balsa wood...only...when I smashed into it, I realized it **wasn't **balsa wood...and the next thing I knew, I was in the hospital, staring at Cait, Sinj, and Dom...but the only one I could remember...was Dom. _String suddenly realized that his memory was coming back. _Let's see what else I can remember, _String said to himself as another vision came into his mind.

_Caitlin! Deputy Caitlin! Hawke shouted as he recognized the female form standing in front of him, where he worked on Dom's old Stearman._

_I know that, Caitlin replied._

_Y'know...__you could wear this around your neck! Caitlin said, holding out the offending bolt to him._

_I—I remember! Hawke said to himself. _He tried to calm his rapid breathing, and keep from calling out for Caitlin again, even as more memories rushed through his head.

_I've always found weddings kinda depressing, Hawke said. What about you, Dom?_

_Yeah...depressing, Dom said._

_Bachelors! Caitlin scoffed._

_That was at Nguyen and Mai's wedding, _Hawke thought excitedly. _It's—it's all comin' back to me._

_A few days, I'll be outta here, Robert Phelps was saying. I'm takin' Bobby with me up to Crystal Lake. Be a first for me—going fishing with a full-fledged hero!_

_You sure better not forget about me! Hawke said._

_Aw, String, I won't forget you! I drew a picture for YOU! Bobby Phelps said._

_What? Caitlin asked, as Bobby came over to them._

_Bobby set a hand-drawn sketch of Hawke in front of him. You look good smiling, Bobby said._

_Well, I'll tell you, Bobby, this is real good, Hawke said. I just don't think I'm the model type._

_You look good...when you smile! Bobby insisted._

_Well, you know, you look great with a smile, too? Hawke asked his young friend. And since you made me such a great drawing, I tell you what, I promise you I'll smile more. Okay?_

_Deal! Bobby said enthusiastically, shaking Hawke's hand and then hugging him._

_And Caitlin had this look on her face like she was saying, 'You're danged right he looks good!', or somethin' like that—and, I've tried to keep smiling more often, 'cause like Bobby told me, 'a Phelps never goes back on a deal!', Hawke said to himself, even as another memory rushed in._

_S—Saint John? Is—is that really you? String demanded of the man standing in Archangel's office._

_Yeah. Yeah, it's really me, little brother. I'm home, Saint John replied, and Marella added that DNA testing had proven his identity. String quickly hurried over and hugged his older brother._

"_What the hell were you thinking, Saint John?" String demanded later that day. He, Dom, Saint John and Caitlin were at the cabin, and arguing about Saint John's decision to join that strike group._

"_Little brother," Saint John began, "I know you must hate me right now...and you've got every right to. But listen to me for a sec, willya? Our group was classified under Top Secret Umbra—nobody could contact their families. And I figured—I figured you and Dom thought I was dead...and I knew if I came straight home, the shrinks were gonna drum me right outta the service on a Section 8. And I didn't want to leave...so when those agents from the CIA asked me about the operations group, I jumped at the chance. I admit...I was selfish, not thinkin' about you or Dom all those years...and, I'm sorry." _

_Before String could say anything, Caitlin turned his face so he was looking into her eyes. "String...I dunno if this helps or not...but I understand what Saint John was trying to do. Maybe he—maybe he made a mistake...but he did what he thought was right. Don't hold that against him...okay?" She smiled hesitantly at him, wondering what was going through Hawke's head at that moment._

_Finally, String said, "You're—you're right, Cait. Heck, if the roles were reversed and I'd been the one who didn't get picked up...I probably would've done the same thing." He leaned closer to her and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Thanks," he said, smiling at her. Then, he turned to his older brother._

"_Okay, Sinj," String said, and Saint John brightened at his brother's use of his long time nickname, "I—I forgive you. I'm just glad you're alive...and you're finally home!" Then the two men stood and walked over to each other, embracing in an emotional hug that Dom and Cait joined a few minutes later._

"_Caitlin," Saint John said, shaking his head, "whatever you've done to my little brother, please, don't stop!"_

"_Don't you worry about that, Saint John," Cait replied, smiling at him, then at String. "In case you couldn't tell, I love String...and I'm not plannin' on going anywhere for a very long time!" _

_Then, they were all at the cabin—Saint John, his son Le, Dom, Caitlin's sister Erin, her mother Maggie, Caitlin, and String. Cait had been bugging him about what was going on practically since they climbed into the helicopter after work, but Hawke wasn't talking. It reminded Caitlin of how he'd been when they first met. Cait's mom and sister asked what was going on, but all Hawke would say was, "It's a surprise, ladies." After dinner, Hawke finally decided to spring his little surprise when he reached into the pocket of his blazer, got down on one knee in front of Caitlin and said, "Caitlin O'Shannessy...will you make me the happiest man on Earth...and marry me?"_

"_Yes, String! Oh, my God, yes, of course I'll marry you!" Caitlin shouted happily as he slipped the ring onto her finger, then stood up and drew her with him for a passionate kiss. Then, a few hours later, after everyone had left and they were alone, Hawke turned to her and said, "Some reason you wanted to stay here tonight, Cait?"_

"_String," she said as she pressed against him, "don't ask stupid questions." She kissed him, a deep, passionate kiss that left little to the imagination. And when they separated, Caitlin said, "Shut up, take me upstairs, and make love to me, Stringfellow Hawke. Now. Right now." And, after hesitating 'cause I didn't want Cait remembering anything Bogan's boys tried to do to her, I did, Hawke said to himself, smiling at the recollection. I didn't want Cait to think I was incapable of following orders, after all. Then the scene changed, to the dock, on their wedding day._

"_Do you, __Stringfellow__ Hawke, take Caitlin O'Shannessy to be your lawful wedded wife?" Judge __Clevenger asked._

"_I do." Hawke replied._

"_And do you, Caitlin O'Shannessy, take Stringfellow Hawke to be your lawful wedded husband?"_

_With tears of love shining in her eyes, Caitlin proudly proclaimed, "Yes. I do."_

"_Then, by the power vested in me by the great state of California...I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Judge Clevenger said as Hawke took Caitlin into his arms for the traditional first kiss. As the small group applauded happily, Judge Clevenger announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Stringfellow Hawke!"_

_Goddammit, Hawke, don't you ever touch me again! You hear me? Caitlin screamed, as another contraction hit her. Hawke knew there was nothing he could say or do, so he merely gripped Caitlin's hand tighter and held on, until he heard it—the cry of their child._

_It's a boy, the doctor said, as Hawke cut the umbilical cord. And, everything looks...and **sounds...**just fine. The doctor smiled under his mask as a nurse came and took their son to clean and measure him._

_Thank you, String, Caitlin whispered, breathless. Thank you for making me a mommy._

_Thank **you, **Caitlin, for making me a daddy, Hawke replied, smiling at her through his tears._

_I REMEMBER! _Hawke said to himself happily, and it was all he could do to keep himself from jumping out of bed and running to the guest room to tell Cait. _She's probably been cryin' __ever since she went back to the guest room, wonderin' if I'll ever get my memory back__, _Hawke said to himself sadly. _Well...I'll just have to make it up to her in the morning. _A small smile crossed his face as he fell asleep again. But just before he fell asleep, he remembered something else—from when Caitlin had lost her memory a few months prior.

_Welcome back, Caitlin O'Shannessy, String said._

_My **name **is Caitlin **Hawke, **smart guy, Caitlin had retorted. And don't you forget it._

_I won't, String replied. I promise you, I won't. _String felt a tear in his eye when he realized that Cait probably felt like he was breaking that promise. _But I didn't count on flyin' into the wrong side of a set and getting knocked silly like I did. Well,_ he said to himself as sleep finally overtook him, _like I said before...I'll just have to make it up to her in the morning. _He felt himself relaxing, finally, as sleep overtook him.

As she lay alone in the guest room bed, Caitlin wiped a few tears out of her eyes. _I've gotta get a hold of myself,_ she thought to herself sternly. _Wouldn't do any good at all for me to walk into our room in the morning lookin' like I've been cryin' my eyes out all night. 'Course, if String doesn't remember yet, I guess it won't make much difference, _she said to herself, allowing the tears to fall unbidden down her cheeks again. _What if—what if his memory never comes back? _Caitlin asked herself. _Would I be able to live with Hawke, if he doesn't remember me, or our son?_ _Dumb question, Caity girl...you know you could, if you had to. That's what bein' married means, y'know. I guess—I guess I'll see what happens in the morning, _she said to herself, finally allowing her mind to quiet and allow her to slip into an uneasy sleep.

When Hawke woke early the next morning, he thought about going out for a morning swim, but decided against it. _Cait's probably gonna be coming in here to check on me any minute now,_ Hawke said to himself, and his suspicions were confirmed a moment later when he heard footsteps coming toward the room. _Boy, I hate being right all the time,_ Hawke said to himself as he noticed the streaks down Caitlin's cheeks as she walked closer to him. _But, I've got a surprise for her,_ String said to himself, smiling as he wondered how Cait would react to finding out he was okay again, and had his memory back. He quickly closed his eyes again so as not to let Caitlin know he'd seen her walking in, but was unable to wipe the smile off his face.

As Caitlin walked into their bedroom, the sight of Hawke there in the bed became too much for her to bear. All the same, she wondered something when she caught sight of the expression on Hawke's face. _What the heck is he smilin' about?_ Caitlin asked herself as she made her decision. She quickly walked over to the bed and slipped into her side, wrapping her arms around Hawke as she did so. What surprised her was when Hawke turned in her arms and kissed her, a deep, passionate, and loving kiss that threatened to become...something else, if Caitlin didn't stop it. _But I—__I don't __**want**__ to stop it,_ she said to herself, _especially if it means what I think—__what I __**hope—**__it __does_. Finally, though, she knew she had to stop—for a minute. Slowly, she pulled herself away from her husband, and when she felt like she could speak, she whispered, "String? Are you okay?"

"Good morning, gorgeous," Hawke replied, smiling at her. Then, he decided he needed to ask about the tear streaks on her face. "Cait? Are you okay? You look like you've spent half the night crying."

"I—I did, String," Caitlin stammered, unsure of what was happening, and trying not to get her hopes up. _All the same...his voice sounds...different. More like...my String. _She forced herself to relax and not get too excited, even as String started speaking again.

"I'm—I'm sorry, Cait," String replied. "I know I wasn't the easiest person in the world to live with last week, especially when I got worried about that movie stunt...which it turns out, I was right to be worried about..."

"Wait a sec, String," Caitlin said, putting her hand over Hawke's lips to quiet him. "What did you say? Did you say you remembered something from _last week?__"_

Hawke had to work to stifle his smile. "Well, yeah. I _said_ that I know I've been real tough to live with, especially when I got worried about that movie stunt...and I was right to be worried about it. After all, I wound up knocked out when I hit that building...since some idiot put it up backwards."

"String?" Caitlin said anxiously, not wanting to believe what she had just heard, "Are you—are you saying that...?"

"I'm saying..." He paused for effect, then curled his lip into the boyish grin he knew Caitlin loved, as he tapped his forehead with his index finger, the same way he'd seen Caitlin do when she got her memory back, and said, "I'm saying that it's all there, Cait. I'm...I'm myself again." He hesitated, waiting for her reaction.

"String," Caitlin said, and her voice indicated her mood, "how much do you remember? Tell me about...the time I was kidnapped by Sawyer," Caitlin said. _I know it sounds crazy...but I wanna know he remembers it all...like he did with me,_ she said to herself, trying to keep the excitement from building too far.

"_Everything,_ Caitlin," String replied. "I remember it all—you, Jimmy, Dom, Sinj, Airwolf...all of it. As for Sawyer...he came to the hangar asking about flying lessons...and flirted with you, until I got there and told him in no uncertain terms that you and I were together, and he finally left you alone—at least, I thought he did. But later, Dom and I had left you alone at the hangar for a while and Sawyer came back and kidnapped you...he called me later and was teasing me about 'losing something'...I thought I was going to kill him...and I remember how I wished to hell I'd gotten a chance to beat the hell out of him...instead of blowing him out of the sky the way I did," Hawke said. Caitlin smiled and nodded, excitement flooding through her. String kissed her again, and this time Caitlin allowed herself to be swept away by the emotion she felt. _He remembers! _Caitlin said to herself as she felt herself lost in the emotions generated by their contact. Even though it had only been seventy-two hours, give or take, since String had lost his memory, Caitlin felt like she'd been without him for days.

_I can't believe I forgot what it feels like to kiss Cait,_ String said to himself as he felt the passion between them intensifying. Finally, though, Hawke realized he needed to breathe as much as he needed the physical contact with his wife, and reluctantly pulled them apart.

When they separated, Caitlin had one question. "When?" she asked after she caught her breath.

"Last night," Hawke said, "and like what happened with you, it started for me after you went back to the guest room, after I had my nightmare about Sawyer. And once they started, it was like somebody had opened a gate in my mind. I mean, the memories all came flooding back, one after the other...and the last thing I remembered was our wedding day, and the day Jimmy was born," he finished, smiling.

"Lemme guess...saving the best for last?" Caitlin teased, grinning impishly at him.

"You got it," Hawke chuckled, drawing her to him again. "But now...I think I'd like to make some...new memories, if you know what I mean." The tone of his voice and look in his eyes told Caitlin _exactly _what he meant.

"M mm...I think I know exactly what you mean, String," she murmured as String helped her out of her nightgown and robe. "And, we have been talkin' about another baby, so I say, let's do it!" She grinned at him as he turned them so she was laying on her backside.

As he hovered over her, Caitlin looked deep into String's eyes and said, "String...make love to me. Right now." She wrapped her arms around him as he moved into her.

_Well...I'm certainly relieved this is over,_ Caitlin said to herself. _String's amnesia, that is. _She was lying next to her husband, curled in his arms with her head against his chest, and one ear just over his heart, and Caitlin finally knew that all was right in her world again. Just then, she felt Hawke beginning to move. "No," she said, with a pout in her voice.

"Cait," Hawke answered her, "we've gotta get up...Jimmy'll be in here any minute now to..." He stopped himself as he heard footsteps outside the door again.

"Mom? How's Dad doin'...aw, geez!" Jimmy shouted when he saw his parents, the fact that the sheets were askew on the bed giving him an idea as to what had been going on when he walked in, but then he realized something. "Dad? I guess this means..."

"Yeah, Sportsfan," Hawke replied, and Jimmy brightened at Hawke's use of his long-time nickname, "it means I'm back."

"When did it happen, Dad?" Jimmy asked, trying to avert his eyes from the scene in front of him, but not make it look like that was what he was doing.

"Last night...I'd had a nightmare, kinda like the one your mom had when she lost her memory...and Caitlin came in here when I screamed—I'm kinda surprised it didn't wake you up—anyway, when she went back into the guest room, everything started coming back to me."

"That's a relief," Jimmy said as he smiled at his parents. "Mom, are we gonna have breakfast pretty soon? I'm starved." Hawke and Caitlin both laughed.

"Yeah, Jimmy," Caitlin said. "But...give us a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay, Mom...and, I'm sure glad you're feelin' better, Dad," Jimmy said, and he gave String a quick hug before he turned and walked out of the bedroom. Just as he reached the door, Caitlin said, "Jimmy...how'd you know I was in here?"

Jimmy turned around and said, "I knocked on the guest room door...but I didn't hear anything, so I came here." He smiled knowingly at his parents as he turned to leave again.

As they watched Jimmy leave, Caitlin said, "I'm glad you're feelin' better, too, String—I was so worried that you'd never remember me or Jimmy again...and it—it scared me, String."

"I know, Cait," String replied. "It—it scared me, too, thinking that I might not ever remember you, Saint John, or Jimmy again. So," he said, thinking he already knew the answer, "was I as out of it as you were?"

"Yeah, String," Cait said, and String noticed the emotion in her eyes, "you couldn't remember any of us—except Dom, of course—but you couldn't remember Jimmy, Le, Sinj, Eagle, Michael, Marella...or even—me," she said, fighting to hold back the tears. "It was like...you were here, but part of you wasn't here—so it was like part of _me _was missing. Now I know how you felt when it happened to me," Caitlin added, pulling String closer to her for a kiss, which she was relieved he accepted.

Later that afternoon, Dom brought Saint John and Le up to the cabin with him. Dom was overjoyed to discover that Hawke had regained his memory, especially his memories of all his family. Dom, of course, made dinner for everyone, the same way he had the night Caitlin's memory came back.

"Well, little brother," Saint John said as they got ready to leave, "I'm glad everything worked out okay."

"You and me both, Sinj," Hawke replied as he hugged his older brother. "You and me both."

"I sure hope this doesn't happen to anybody else," Le said.

"I think we're all in agreement on that one, Le," Caitlin said in reply, and noticed Saint John, String, and Dom all nodding back at her.

"I don't know about anybody else," Jimmy said, "but I'm glad I've got both my parents back. And I agree with Le...I sure hope this never happens again!"

"Absolutely," String replied, smiling at his son.

"I agree," Dom said with a grin. "If it happened to me, at my age, I might _never_ get my memory back!" In spite of the seriousness of Dom's statement, everyone was able to laugh.

"Well, so long, little brother," Saint John said later, as Dom was getting ready to leave, "And, I know we've said this a number of times...but I'm glad you're back. And, that there aren't any permanent effects."

"Me, too, Sinj," String replied, embracing his brother. "Me, too." Le and Saint John walked out to where Dom had parked his helicopter, since String's was in its usual place on the dock, then everyone waved to String and Caitlin, who were standing wrapped in each other's arms in the door of the cabin.

As they watched the helicopter lift off and turn toward Van Nuys, Caitlin sighed and leaned into Hawke's chest.

_Thanks, God, _she said to herself, remembering her prayers of the night before. _Thanks for bringing my String back to me._ She turned in his arms and gazed into his eyes. "String...don't ever do that again."

"Do what, Cait?" String asked innocently.

"Don't you ever..._ever_...leave me alone like that again, String." Caitlin replied, then added, "and before you say, 'Cait, you weren't alone', or somethin' like that, lemme tell you something, Stringfellow Hawke: Even though you were here, physically, what made you the man I love wasn't here...and, that's why I felt so alone. My...my heart was empty, without you." She lowered her head, not wanting String to see the tears in her eyes, but Hawke gently lifted her face so she could look into his eyes, and Caitlin was surprised to find tears there, as well.

"I...I understand, Cait," Hawke said. "And, I wasn't going to say 'Cait, you weren't alone,' or whatever else you thought I might say because—well—I felt the same way when you lost your memory. You were _here..._but you weren't here—so, there was a part of _me_ that was missing too. It didn't make any sense then...but, it makes sense now. And, I promise you, Cait, I'll do the best I can to make sure that I never leave you alone like that again." He pulled her close to him and kissed her, a deep, longing, passionate kiss that threatened to take their breath away.

Once she felt like she could speak after they separated, Caitlin said, "And, I promise you the same, String. I'll do the best I can to make sure I never leave you feeling alone again." She smiled up at him, that special impish grin that she saved for her husband, and hoped he got the message she was trying to convey.

A few seconds later, she got her answer as String scooped her up in his arms and carried her, giggling, back into the house and up the stairs to the sleeping loft. "I hope you guys are playing it safe!" came from Jimmy's bedroom down the hall. "I don't want any brothers or sisters!"

"_Good night,_ _Jimmy!_" Caitlin shouted back, then turned her full attention back to her husband. A few moments later, they were lost to the world, concentrating only on each other.

Later, still spent from the activities they had just concluded, Caitlin felt an overwhelming sense of relaxation and peace, as she felt String pulling her body tight against his own. _I don't want to think about what might have happened if String's memory hadn't come back,_ Caitlin said to herself, _so, I won't. I'm—I'm just relieved that this is all over. _She allowed a few tears to escape her eyes, but she knew they were happy tears, so she didn't mind. _All that matters is...I've got my String back...just like I wanted, _she said to herself happily as she slipped deeper into sleep.

Meanwhile, String was finally able to relax for the first time since he had lost his memory, as he savored his wife's scent. _I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't gotten my memory back, _Hawke said to himself, relishing in the feeling of Caitlin's body tight against his own. _And I have a feeling that I don't want to know. But, we made it...just like we always have,_ String said to himself as sleep finally overtook him, _and just like we always will._


End file.
